The Catalyst
by JadeLightning-Wolf
Summary: [Complete] Surely the dojo can handle one more mouth to feed. After all, how much could one little cat do?
1. Part I

**The Catalyst: _Part I_**

By Jade LightningWolf 

Disclaimer: You thought Kenshin was _mine_? Bwuahahaha! _blink, blink_ 'Nough said. The incredibly handsome Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Wakatsuki and various other entities that are definitely not me.

Rating: I decided to go PG-13 (T) on this because of violence now and innuendo later.

Kaoru's spirits were high. Kenshin had made a rare appearance while she was practicing and had informed her that he thought she had finally perfected a difficult kata she'd been working on for the last two months. He'd then prepared a steaming hot furo for her, and the moment she emerged, lunch was served. Dr. Gensai and the girls were present, so they had ohagi as a treat, courtesy Kenshin. Looking out at the setting sun, Kaoru wondered how long her luck would last.

"Busu!"

_Apparently that long,_ she thought to herself with a sigh. She faced her pupil as he trekked into the dojo from the street, slamming the gate behind him. "Don't call me busu, Yahiko-_chan_!" _We should really try to come up with some different insults._

"Whatever." Kaoru started. Normally, calling him Yahiko-chan warranted an immediate sparring match in which Yahiko, more often than not, found himself eating dirt, and lots of it. Kaoru narrowed her eyes. He was up to something.

Studying her pupil, she saw he was dusty, sweaty, and scratched. He carried a small blue bundle of cloth in his arms.

"What happened to you?" she said incredulously, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well…you see…" Yahiko was interrupted as Kenshin walked around the corner. Almost as soon as he was in sight, he sneezed violently.

"Bless you," Kaoru said absently. "What were you saying Yahiko?"

"Well, these guys were…and they kind of…" Kenshin sneezed again, so loudly it echoed in the courtyard.

"Kenshin, are you alright? You're not getting sick, are you?" Kaoru said, standing and taking a few steps towards him.

"Not at all. Sessha feels fine. Perhaps it's the dust in the air." Sneeze. Kaoru fixed him with a killing glare. She was perfectly aware of the fact that Kenshin would never let it show if he felt sick, injured, or most other things for that matter.

"Maybe you should go see Dr. Gensai."

"Sessha is fine, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said, raising his hands in a gesture meant to make him look defenseless. _Fat chance,_ Kaoru thought as she eyed his sakabatou.

"Yahiko," sneeze, "sessha saved some dinner for you, de gozaro ya."

"Alright!" Yahiko ran past Kenshin and around the corner, safely saving himself from being questioned by Kaoru further. The shihandai growled her frustration.

"Kenshin, when Yahiko's done eating, don't let him leave the room. I need to ask him what he was up to, skipping lessons."

"Certainly, Kaoru-dono."

"Are you sure you're fine?"

"Of course. Someone must simply be gossiping about sessha," he said, giving her a swirly-eyed smile and walking back around the corner to find Yahiko. A moment later, a resounding sneeze echoed through the courtyard.

OoOoOoO

Kaoru faced Yahiko from across the table. He was blushing faintly red as she waited for an explanation. She'd long since given up yelling at him and was now simply glaring at him with such anger that Yahiko found himself unable to move.

"Fine," he said letting out a sigh that seemed to carry his resolve with it. "See, as I was walking home, I ran into some guys about my age. They were picking on someone, so I gave 'em a piece of my mind. They were just stronger than I thought they would be."

Kaoru raised her eyebrows. "Well, that's not so bad. Why were you so embarrassed about that?"

"Well…" Yahiko studied the ground intently. "The person they were picking on wasn't really a person."

Kaoru felt dread rise in her breast. "What was it, Yahiko?" She almost feared his answer.

He proffered the blue bundle he'd carried in with him earlier. "This," he said, sliding the cloth away from his rescued victim. Nestled in the cloth, fast asleep, was little ash-gray kitten.

OoOoOoO

"Come on, Kaoru! Please?"

"Absolutely not! I already have to feed you two free-loaders, not to mention all the guests we seem to attract almost every other day! We can't afford another mouth, even if it will eat less in one month than you do in a day!"

"Kaoru!" Yahiko tailed her to the outhouse and pestered her through the door, even as she finished her business. When Kaoru left, she whipped the door open so quickly it slammed Yahiko in the face, more specifically, in his nose.

"OW! Busu! I'm keeping it!"

"You are not and that is final!"

Kaoru stormed towards her room, intent on preparing for bed. However, halfway down the hallway, she bumped right into Kenshin. He was elbow deep in suds and had just emerged from the kitchen. Most likely, he'd just been doing dishes.

"Kaoru-dono," he said, steadying her as she teetered against him, "what's all the yelling about?"

"Yahiko brought home another mouth to feed," Kaoru complained, pointing an accusatory finger behind her like a child having a temper tantrum.

"It won't eat much!"

"I don't care."

Kenshin ignored their argument and studied the bundle of fur in Yahiko's arms with a mixed look of horror and affection. He was surprised when the boy turned on him and quickly tried to focus on the conversation.

"Kenshin! Tell Kaoru I can keep the cat!"

"Now, now, Yahiko. This is Kaoru-dono's home. It should be her decision."

"Well, it's your home too, and you're a lot older than she is."

"Sessha may be older, but…but…Achoooo!" Both Kaoru and Yahiko were stunned into silence. Kenshin was not a big man, but his sneezes seemed as though they should come from a dragon.

Kaoru raised her eyebrows and traded glances between a blushing, runny-nosed rurouni and the tiny, gray fur ball that Yahiko was still clutching.

"I know why you've been sneezing Kenshin."

"You do?" His voice was nasally and he was sniffling lightly.

"You're allergic to cats aren't you?"

"Sessha has never had a problem with cats before."

"You're just saying that. That decides it," Kaoru said, turning on Yahiko. "Kenshin's allergic to it, so it can't stay."

Yahiko struggled to find an argument, but could think of nothing. Hanging his head in defeat he mumbled "fine" and turned to walk away. Kenshin felt his heart go out for the boy. Pets had never even come up with his shishou. There was absolutely no argument. Kenshin had never been allowed a companion in his studying with his master.

"Wait, Yahiko," he said, surprising even himself. "Kaoru-dono, surely one tiny mouth to feed will not hurt us. It would be good for Yahiko to have something to look after. It will teach him responsibility."

Kaoru pinned Kenshin under a glare that clearly said, "You're supposed to be on MY side."

"Come on, Kaoru. Please?"

Quite suddenly, she was caught between two pleading sets of eyes, one crystal brown and the other sparkling amethyst. She let out a huff that made her bangs rise momentarily in the air. _No is no,_ she told herself. She opened her mouth to tell them as much, but just then the kitten opened its eyes.

Kaoru was frozen under the most adorable gaze she'd ever seen. The kitten's eyes were pure blue, as clear and bright as the sky at noon. Its little slit pupils dilated, adjusting to the light, and it blinked several times. Then it yawned. Kaoru was not the only one who gave a hushed "awwwwe."

Again, she found the pleading gazes fixed on her. _Damn it! I'm too damn nice_, she thought angrily.

"Fine! It can stay. But you two are the ones taking care of it. I won't lift a finger for it. You have to clean it, clean up after it, feed it, and stop it from destroying my home. I find even one pile of doo doo, it's gone."

They both nodded solemnly. Suddenly, Yahiko's face turned ugly. "If Kenshin's allergic to this thing, that means I have to do everything for it!"

As if in answer, Kenshin gave another resounding sneeze. "You got that right!" Kaoru said, giving him a very evil grin.

OoOoOoO

"Yahiko!"

"What is it, busu?"

"Don't call me busu, and get your damned animal out of my room!"

Yahiko came running around the corner to find his cat happily ripping Kaoru's bedding to shreds. As it heard him come, it looked up and both teacher and student were caught in the power of its sad kitty eyes.

"Sorry, Kaoru. I don't know how it keeps getting in here."

"It? You mean you don't even know what it is?"

"No," he said defensively, gathering the kitten up in his arms.

"Oh for the love of…give me that thing."

"Why?"

"So we can stop calling it it!"

Yahiko blushed and pushed the little gray ball into her arms. The kitten turned in her grasp, digging claws into very sensitive spots, but she immediately forgave it its sins when she met those darling eyes. Gently, she lifted the cat by its armpits and studied its belly, trying to distinguish the definite difference between a male and a female. After a moment, she handed it back to Yahiko.

"It's a boy." Yahiko looked at the cat disappointedly.

"A boy?" he whined.

"What, you wanted a girl?"

"Hell no!"

"And what's wrong with girls?" Yahiko quickly backed away from Kaoru's simmering rage. After trying to come up with an answer and failing, he ran. Behind him, the swish of a bokken was clearly audible.

OoOoOoO

Kenshin was bent over the laundry as usual when he felt something brush against his back. He jumped away from the intruder, hand reaching for a sakabatou that was not there. He neatly fell over at his own stupidity when the little kitten mewled at him. Then he sneezed.

_I don't understand. I've never had a problem with cats before. What makes this one…_Ahh…ahh…ahhchooo! _so different?_

Kenshin was not enjoying existence that involved permanent congestion and sneezes so loud that half of Tokyo had stopped by asking if an oni was in the area. Cat hair was also very hard to get out of clothing.

Kenshin brushed himself off and resumed the laundry, now under the interested gaze of the kitten. The cat circled him, rubbing against his legs as he went. Kenshin couldn't help but grin at the little kitten. He reared up on his paws, gazing into the washtub. A tiny pink tongue flitted out before Kenshin could stop him, and he took a rather large drink of suds.

Sneezing softly, and a in a manner a great deal cuter than Kenshin had, he wandered to the other side of the tub and sat down facing the rurouni. He gave a plaintive mew as Kenshin sneezed again and a tiny soap bubble took flight from his open mouth. The rurouni smiled slightly at the kitten and tried again to scrub an oil stain out of one of Yahiko's gi.

Clouds slowly moved over the warm summer sky, throwing the courtyard into shadow. Kenshin studied the gray clouds, wondering if it would rain. He decided it was likely and moved to take the drying laundry indoors.

Suddenly, a growl emitted from the kitten. Kenshin started. Such a threatening noise shouldn't have come out of such a small creature. If he hadn't known better, Kenshin would've started searching for a tiger. As it was, he turned to look at the kitten and was thoroughly surprised.

The little gray feline was exactly the same size, but he suddenly seemed a thousand times more threatening. His silvery fur stood on end and his body was drawn into an arch that made Kenshin envious of his flexibility. His tail stood straight on end, and his claws were extended into the soft dirt of the courtyard. However, more disturbing than his threatening stance, were his eyes. They had turned as brilliant shining golden as Kenshin's could become.

Kenshin slowly side-stepped away from the tub and the cat's gaze followed him. The feline began stalking towards him, ears laid back, teeth showing in an evil grimace. Kenshin took a step back before stopping himself. _It's only a kitten!_ he scolded himself. _What would people say of this? The most feared hitokiri of the Bakumatsu was scared by a kitten!_

Kenshin stopped retreating and held his ground as the cat stalked forward. The beast's amber gaze pierced him and he growled again, showing more fang. When he was within a foot of the rurouni, he reached out a paw. Kenshin could see the extended claws flying at him, but at the moment when he would have moved, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, blinding him for a moment.

Pain exploded through his leg. Kenshin blinked spots from his eyes and looked down. Four gouges, about an inch apart, decorated his leg. _What the…? _Kenshin stared unbelieving. The little claws had ripped straight through the fabric of his hakama and sliced the skin beneath as neatly as a katana blade. And he was quite sure that the kitten's paw was not big enough to leave the sizable cuts he'd just received.

Slowly, his gaze fell back to the cat. He was sitting some distance away, licking a paw and looking entirely innocent. However, when he felt Kenshin's gaze, he gave him an amber glare that was vaguely reminiscent of Saitou. Kenshin looked back down at his leg as the first drops of rain started falling on the courtyard.

Slowly, he registered the feel of water dripping down his arms. _Ahh! The laundry!_ Hurriedly, forgetting the cat for the moment, Kenshin gathered the drying laundry in his arms and dashed inside, utilizing his god-like speed in a desperate attempt to save the clothes from getting wet again. Once inside, he slowly inspected the clothes. _Damn it!_ Every last one of them was soaked through again.

Kenshin hung the laundry, ignoring the feel of blood slowly trickling down his leg except to ensure that it didn't get on the floor. He walked back outside to cover the laundry tub. The rest could wait until the rain had ended. However, sitting outside the door waiting for him, was Yahiko's cat.

The beast fixed him with a brilliant golden stare that glowed in the encroaching darkness of the storm. Slowly, the cat stood as though it was his utter intent to move and it had nothing to do with Kenshin. However, once the rurouni was out of the room, the kitten raised a forepaw and pointed deliberately towards the training hall.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow at him and turned to get the laundry. Only his attuned senses warned him to move as the cat swiped for his leg again. He leaped upward and neatly flipped over so that he was facing his furry opponent. Said creature made an impatient noise and pointed at the training hall again. Slowly, the rurouni stood from his crouch and took a step towards the hall. The kitten nodded encouragingly.

Kenshin took another few steps, testing the cat's limits. He only nodded some more. With a sigh, Kenshin took off for the training hall. He could feel the cat tailing him, but it made no move to injure him again. He winced as the rain hit the cuts and stung. He'd have to treat them soon.

He could see that Kaoru had lit a few candles inside the hall. Their flickering light threw her shadow against the shoji screens, and he could see she was not practicing. He approached the door and opened his mouth to announce his presence, but the prickle of claws against his leg stopped him. He turned and eyed the cat incredulously. The silver beast shook his head at Kenshin and twitched his tail angrily.

Understanding the threat, Kenshin reached to the door and slid it open, silently berating himself for following the orders of a cat. He was even more annoyed that said cat was roughly 1/16 his size and was definitely smarter than any cat had a right to be. However, all coherent thought was quickly driven from his mind.

Kaoru stood with her back facing him and seemed unaware of his presence. She'd shrugged her gi off, leaving it hanging from the waistband of her hakama. She was rolling her left arm in a wide windmill and her right hand rested against her shoulder. Beneath her splayed fingers, Kenshin could make out a brilliant purple bruise. Kenshin was forced to cease studying the rest of her body as his demand to protect her took over. However, he made careful notes of the beautiful sway of her back, the strength in her shoulders, her narrow waist, and the hint of curvy hips that peeked over the sides of her hakama.

Carefully, as though he'd just entered, Kenshin slid the shoji loudly and said, "Kaoru-dono I…" He trailed off his voice in expert acting and let a blush creep up his cheeks, though he was sure it had already been there. Quickly, he turned his back on her even as she looked over her shoulder. _Kami but her neck is beautiful._

"Kaoru-dono, please forgive me," he said, letting his voice get deliberately high pitched. "Sessha was unaware of…your…current state of…"

"It's alright, Kenshin," she said, interrupting his stammering with something that bordered on impatience. "You wouldn't have known. You can turn around now."

He did so, leaving the blush in his cheeks even as his disappointment made itself evident in the back of his mind. His careful show was not for nothing. While he did find Kaoru beautiful…in fact alluring, he knew perfectly well that he was far too old for her. And aside from such a severe age difference, he was less than she deserved. Only through sheer force of will did he keep himself from rushing to her and kissing her senseless, though the darker parts of his mind demanded it.

"Kaoru-dono, sessha couldn't help but notice your shoulder," he said, pointing as he did so.

"This?" she said, rolling said shoulder experimentally. "It's nothing. I tripped and fell on it."

"It did not look like nothing," he said, his voice growing sterner. Just because he couldn't make her his, that did not mean he wouldn't protect her.

"Kenshin," she said, using his name as an expression of exasperation. Just as she looked as though she'd resolved to allow his ministrations, Yahiko's cat walked in, rubbing against Kenshin's injured leg as it went. He couldn't withhold the wince as cat fur detached itself into the clotting blood.

"You're one to talk," Kaoru said as she looked down as saw the blood-stained hakama. "You're hurt worse than I am." Worry creased her face as she rushed forward and knelt down to study his leg. His slightly less than controlled mind turned the position into all sorts of things that brought the blush back to his face.

"We need to treat this," Kaoru stated, not even aware of the nature of his thoughts. She stood and took him by the wrist, leading him to her room where she kept the first aid kit. As he turned to follow her, he couldn't help but catch the cat's satisfied amber gaze.

OoOoOoO

Kenshin sat on the floor of Kaoru's room nervously. The shihandai hadn't bothered to light a candle and the half light was making him think of things he'd much rather save for his own darkened room. Kaoru had retrieved the medicinal kit and now knelt before him, slowly rolling up the pant leg of his hakama.

She hissed as she saw the damage. "Kenshin, how did these happen?"

He blushed faintly and mumbled, "The cat."

She fixed him with an incredulous stare. "The cat? That little thing probably couldn't do more than give you a little scratch. Besides, I find it hard to believe that you didn't feel him coming. What really happened?"

"Kaoru-dono, sessha is not lying. It was Yahiko's cat."

"Fine!" she said, brandishing a small bottle of Western alcohol called brandy, "Don't tell me then. I'll just make sure this hurts. A lot."

Setting a clean washcloth under his leg, she poured the brandy over the cuts. It stung like hell, but Kenshin kept his face impassive. He would not give Kaoru the satisfaction of a wince. Kaoru took water to the cuts, cleaning out the cat hair and dirt that had worked its way in. Her gentle hands were a sharp contrast to the angry look on her face.

As she reached for a sealing poultice she quietly said, "I wish you'd trust me."

Kenshin felt as though he'd been struck with Saitou's gotetsu. He trusted Kaoru completely. How had she ever gotten the impression that he didn't. He told her as much as she smeared cool cream over his leg.

"Kenshin," she said, stopping her ministrations to meet his eyes, "it's not trust when you hide yourself from a person. There are things about you that you won't tell anyone. You never let any of us see what you're feeling, except sometimes when you're really angry. You always put on a smile and brush us aside, even when you're hurting."

Kenshin could find no answer for her. After all, what she said was true. He always hid away his past from his friends, and especially from Kaoru. The truth, the blood, would only be another stain he could add to his heart. He would hate himself for taking away the small bits of innocence she had left. He treasured that innocence as he treasured his sakabatou. It was a small sign of the fact that times were finally changing.

"I just wish…" Kenshin was startled to see that there were tears falling from her eyes. "I wish you'd open up a little."

"Kaoru-dono," he started, unsure of what to say. She began wrapping his wounds in thick linen bandages. As she tied off a knot, he touched her shoulder, making her look up at him with slightly red eyes.

"I will try, Kaoru-dono."

She gave him a watery smile, sniffling a little. "Thank you, Kenshin."

They sat still for a moment, simply enjoying each other's company. The mood, unfortunately, was completely ruined when Kenshin sneezed unexpectedly. Kaoru sighed and mumbled something under her breath that distinctly sounded like, "Damn cat!"

OoOoOoO

Before he left, Kenshin insisted on looking at Kaoru's shoulder. He sternly told himself it had everything to do with her health and nothing to do with the elegant lines of her neck and back. She of course, was arguing vehemently. Finally, Kenshin was left with no choice but to give her an ultimatum.

"Kaoru, either you let me look at that shoulder now, or I will drag you to Aizu to Megumi's when the rain lets up. It's you choice."

Kaoru blinked at him, going slightly owl-eyed. _He called me Kaoru. Not Kaoru-dono. Just…Kaoru. And he said "I" instead of "sessha."_ Kaoru could also see little golden flecks swirling in her rurouni's eyes. He was losing patience, something that was very uncharacteristic in Kenshin. Carefully she stored this information. Either he was taking her request seriously, or he was simply fed up for the day.

With a sigh, she acquiesced. Gently, Kaoru slid down the sleeve of her gi to reveal her swollen, bruised shoulder. Kenshin studied the skin with a critical eye, carefully touching the wounded area before making Kaoru move her arm about to test mobility. He circled around her, looking at the shoulder from the front. It was just as purple.

Gently, Kenshin prodded her collar bone. Kaoru bit her lip in an attempt to stop sound, but she couldn't help but hiss. He raised an eyebrow at her as he fingered the bone, hoping she didn't notice that his hands lingered a little longer than was probably necessary. Finally, he pulled away, delving into the kit for some bruise balm.

"You've bruised your collar bone Kaoru-dono." He missed her disappointed expression when he reapplied the honorific to her name. "You're going to have to be careful with it for a while or it will snap."

Kaoru snorted her disbelief, turning her nose up at him. He smiled at her derision, and his eyes sparkled, still possessed with a tinge of amber. "I'm not lying. When sessha had just started training with the sword, sessha got a bruise such as this. While doing a kata the next day, sessha's bone snapped like a bamboo poll. Shishou was most unpleased."

Kaoru gave Kenshin an open gaze of assessment. Since when had he ever talked about his training? A smile lit her face as she realized he really was trying to be more honest, more revealing around her.

Kenshin smoothed an acrid smelling balm over Kaoru's shoulder, rubbing it in until her skin glistened. Occasionally Kaoru let out a hiss when he touched a particularly sensitive spot, and always he softly apologized to her. She found herself enjoying his ministrations. A secret part of her mind was wishing that he was not simply doing them because of a wound.

Reluctantly, Kenshin pulled his hand away. If he continued much longer, Kaoru was sure to notice that he was massaging parts of her that were most definitely not bruised. He'd tried not to let his eyes linger on the swell of breast hidden beneath her cloth bindings. Instead, his eyes had wandered elsewhere. Kaoru's arms were well-toned from exercise. The lean muscles made graceful lines that moved in the most fascinating ways as she windmilled her arm again.

The column of her throat and the thick muscle of her shoulder had quickly become a point of fascination for him. He was well aware that he would daydream of them later, along with the various things he might be able to do to them to make Kaoru a happier woman.

Again his eyes wandered downward and he was forced to avert his gaze, this time looking into Kaoru's face. She seemed not to have noticed that he was surreptitiously appreciating her body. Her sparkling sapphire eyes had affixed on his hands, which were still packing away the supplies of the medical kit. He took advantage of her distraction to better memorize her face. It was rare that he got this close.

Her eyes were a point of pride for him. Despite what she'd seen in his company, her eyes remained determinedly pure and carefree…well as carefree as one could get with three mouths to feed and little money. The ebony silk of her hair was constantly falling into those oceanic depths and made his fingers itch to push it away. The ivory of her skin was only interrupted by the warm peach glow of her cheeks, a sure indication of life and fire that dwelled beneath her surface.

Unconsciously, his eyes fell to her lips. Her lower lip was red and slightly swollen from her biting it for so long. The darker parts of his mind quickly showed him other ways to get her lips to such a state. He banished his thoughts and tried to move his gaze, but he was already too late. As he raised his eyes, he realized Kaoru had been staring at him.

Kaoru was enthralled with Kenshin's hands. They were elegant and long-fingered. She could not help but admire the deftness with which he handled all things, not just his sword. And their movements were flowing and beautiful, like an artist's hands, or maybe a musician's.

She managed to tear her gaze from them to look at his face. Kenshin looked deep in thought, and he was staring at her. More specifically, he seemed to be staring at her lips. _Why would he…?_ Kaoru's thoughts trailed off as possible answers presented themselves. A blush crept up her cheeks even as his eyes rose slowly to hers.

Kaoru had never kissed a man or been kissed in her life. Nor had she ever been curious about what it would be like until Kenshin had come into her life. After that, she'd dreamed about it more and more, until a large chunk of her brain was consumed with curiosity; the curiosity however, had never threatened to overwhelm her until now.

"Sessha should start dinner now," he said quietly, though he made no move to get up.

"Umm...that…that's probably…a good idea," she mumbled, cringing at her own stuttering. "I don't think I'm gonna eat tonight." Her voice had lowered to a whisper. She was unsure how long she could be in the same room as this man before her curiosity broke her like a twig and satiated itself. She dropped her eyes from his face and refused to look at him, fearing the results of any prolonged eye contact.

Kaoru felt him move and was utterly grateful. If he wasn't there to tempt her, there was no way to give in to that temptation. She nearly jumped out of her skin when, instead of leaving immediately, he crouched in front of her so his knees were in her direct line of vision. _I must be dreaming,_ she thought, even as she felt his hand slide across the line of her jaw, lifting her gaze to his. _Is he going to…_

Kenshin cut off her thoughts by leaning across the scant distance between them and gently pressing his lips to hers. It was a kiss in the most polite sense of the word, barely a brushing of lips. But electricity shot between them as though lightning had struck the house.

Without a word, Kenshin rose and left. Kaoru was left in the darkness of the room with only her thoughts and the memory of his lips. Slowly, she raised a finger to touch the burning flesh. _He really kissed me._

OoOoOoO

Kenshin wandered through the house in a bit of a daze. He found himself in the kitchen only by pure accident, though that had been his point of destination originally. He gazed at the room as though it was the first time he had seen it. Everything seemed fresh and utterly new. Even in the dim light of the storm, colors jumped at him in ways they never had before. Everything from the orange of the carrots to the lacquered gold of the wooden screens was a feast for his eyes.

Part of him was in wonderment at his own audacity. Perhaps Kaoru had been right in believing he was getting sick. Under normal circumstances he would never have allowed himself to appreciate Kaoru's beauty, let alone show her his appreciation by kissing her.

The sensation of her lips still lingered against him. He licked his own lips at the thought and got the faintest taste of her; some mixture of tea after practice as well as a sweet taste he couldn't quite place, though it seemed velvety and wonderful. Her lips had been as satin soft as he imagined, but he hadn't expected the sudden jump of electricity down his spine that she had managed to elicit from him with only one square inch of her skin. What would it be like to have her body pressed against his? He could only imagine.

Kenshin shook his head sharply and turned to the vegetables set out for dinner. He needed his wits about him, or he'd wind up losing a few fingers, not to mention several days of consciousness courtesy of Kaoru's bokken when she found out of his stupidity.

As Kenshin set to his task, he noticed that Yahiko's cat had wandered into the room. He jumped to the counter with ease and sat primly, staring at the rurouni with the disdain only a cat could exude. If Kenshin didn't know better, he would have thought the creature was aware of what had gone on in Kaoru's room. However, the cat had definitely not been present.

Kenshin turned back to the vegetables, ignoring the ash-gray beast as best he could. The cat gave a meow that sounded a great deal like a human sigh, but then started washing himself. Kenshin raised his eyebrow at the beast, wondering what he was up to.

Yahiko bounced in a moment later.

"Kenshin, you're not done with dinner yet?" he asked, the whine plain in his voice.

Kenshin smiled gently and said, "Kaoru-dono hurt herself. Sessha needed to look after the injury before he started supper."

"Oh…she's ok, isn't she?" The boy's grudging worry was evident.

"Kaoru-dono will be fine as long as she goes easy on her right shoulder. Please make sure she does when she's practicing, Yahiko. Sessha is trusting you."

Kenshin pinned Yahiko under a gaze that made the boy squirm slightly. "She won't hurt herself under my watch, Kenshin. I promise."

Yahiko nodded and sat against the wall to watch Kenshin cook. A moment later, his cat crawled into his lap, yawning.

"Have you named him yet, Yahiko?"

"Huh…oh, yeah. I decided to call him Youkai."

"Youkai?" Kenshin questioned, turning to gaze at the boy.

"After what he's done to the house already, I think it's pretty fitting."

_Indeed it is,_ Kenshin thought as the weight of the bandages on his leg became more evident.

OoOoOoO

Japanese glossary

kata: traditional set of exercises in martial arts

furo: bathhouse

ohagi:

sessha: this unworthy one

de gozaro ka:

shihandai:

busu: ugly or hag

bokken: wooden sword

oni: ogre

gi: shortened kimono that Kenshin usually wears (Kaoru too when she's training)

hitokiri: formal title for an assassin

Bakumatsu: the Revolution that occurred ten years prior the series and which Kenshin participated in

hakama: traditional set of loose fitting pants that can be a skirt or a split style pant

katana: traditional Japanese long-sword (like Saitou uses)

shishou: Master (Kenshin is referring specifically to Hiko Seijiro)

A/N: Look, you found this story! If you're still reading at this point I am amazed indeed. Most people just don't care about the glossary.

Saitou: Then why did you put it in?

Authoress: Because I remember being a newbie and not knowing what any of those words meant without guessing. I'm being compassionate.

Kenshin: You weren't being compassionate when you sliced my leg open.

Authoress: Now, now Kenshin. No need to get hasty. Just put the sakabatou down.


	2. Part II

**The Catalyst: _Part II_**

By Jade LightningWolf 

Disclaimer: _Kenshin stands threateningly over author, who is trying to remember if he ever took a 'no dismemberment' vow_

Kenshin: Say it!

Authoress: The Kenshin-gumi aren't mine, nor is Kenshin…you fox, you.

Kenshin: Arggh!

Authoress: _smugly _Your turn.

Kenshin: _sighs and sheathes sword_ This chapter is rated PG-13 for some mild innuendo…I hate you, did you know that?

Authoress: I take it that means you won't go on a date with me.

Kenshin: Somebody shoot me now.

Kenshin was in a foul mood. He'd gone to bed very late. Even now, he still lay on his futon, wide awake. Sighing, he sat up, turning to look towards his door. Youkai was still sitting there, watching him with something akin to accusation.

After he'd finished his nightly rounds of checking the gate locks, prowling the courtyard for enemies, and checking to ensure Kaoru was asleep, Kenshin had gone to his room in relative peace. However, his peace was shattered as he slid his shoji shut behind him, turned, and saw Youkai glaring at him from atop his bedding.

He'd first scratched his head, wondering how the hell the cat had managed to get in his room, which was always closed. Then, he'd moved to shoo Youkai away. He ignored his hand gestures steadfastly. When Kenshin tried to pick him up, he immediately flattened his ears and swiped at the rurouni. Kenshin had jumped away, his temper rising an increment.

Slowly, he'd circled around the futon. Youkai swiveled his head to follow Kenshin's movements with eyes that were assuredly dark amber. Once he was behind, the rurouni had crouched, waiting to see if the cat would move. When he did not, Kenshin stood.

He'd moved casually, dressing in his yukata and acting as though he intended to go to bed, regardless of the unwelcome guess on his futon. The moment he'd finished dressing, he'd rushed the bedding, gripping one edge in each hand. The cat had screeched, completely startled by his actions. Utilizing the best aspects of his speed, Kenshin had whipped the bedding into the air, trying to shake Youkai away. Unfortunately, he'd caught on and was clinging to the cotton by his razor sharp claws.

The rurouni had continued to shake his blankets as the cat hissed and meowed at him in what, he was sure, were the most foul swear words of the cat language. Unfortunately for Youkai, gravity always wins. With a resounding rip, the cloth gave way under the brutal claws and the cat slid to the floor.

He quickly righted himself and dashed out of grabbing distance of Kenshin. The redhead stared at him a moment, wondering if there was any possible way to get him out of the room without killing him. After a moment Kenshin shook his head. Getting his bed back had been hard enough. The rurouni had spread out the futon and lay down, gathering the shredded blankets around him as best he could.

He had tried to sleep after that, but his instincts had screamed at him _Enemy! Enemy, you moron!_ And sure enough, Youkai was sitting at his door, staring at him with eyes that so closely mirrored his own. Aside from the creepy feeling the cat gave, Kenshin could not help but sneeze every ten seconds or so. The only thing that had ever made him sneeze like this had been a flower that grew outside of his shishou's home.

Kenshin sighed. Slowly he sat up and faced the cat. The beast switched his tail and licked a paw. He had all the time in the world. It was Kenshin who would become impatient first.

"What do you want from us?" he asked quietly.

Youkai blinked at him and began running a paw over his face. Kenshin fell back against his pillows. He would never sleep this way. After a moment, he flung his covers away and stood. The cat stopped watching, one paw hanging in the air. He could see the sinewy body as Youkai prepared to move if he attacked.

Quietly, he moved to his sword rack and lifted his sakabatou. The weight was comforting in his hands. With one eye on the cat, he moved to the back of his room and pressed his back to the wall so that he faced the beast. In a practiced and graceful movement, he sank to the ground, his knees folding as he went so that they pressed against his chest. He tucked one leg underneath him and rested his sakabatou against his shoulder.

The cat studied him, trying to understand his motives as well as wondering if he could safely reclaim the bed. After a moment, he stood and stretched slowly, back arching and tail standing straight in the air. With a practiced saunter, Youkai paced across the room, pausing once to sniff the tatami. His eyes never left Kenshin's. When he was right in the middle of the crumpled bedding, he sat down and cocked his head to one side, studying the rurouni.

Kenshin smiled slightly and closed his eyes. If he could not outwait the cat, he could most certainly outwit it. As he tipped his head forward in a practiced motion, the old saying ran through his brain. _Curiosity killed the cat._

Kenshin remained perfectly still, evening his breathing into a pattern that sounded deceptively like sleeping. After what seemed like an eternity, the cat crept forward. With all his senses attuned, he could hear the gentle swish of paws against the tatami.

Youkai walked a half-circle around him several times. He was gauging if the redhead was really sleeping or not. Kenshin seemed to pass the test. The tiny aura of life the cat exuded came closer still. He was within reaching distance, but Kenshin did not move. The cold press of a nose against his wrist nearly made him jump. Only years of training stopped him.

The cat whuffled gently, taking in his scent. Its nose left his skin, but the feeling of cold lingered like the scent Kaoru left in a room after she'd exited. The cat moved in front of him and he felt a tentative paw touch his knee. Still he did not move. Emboldened, Youkai reared on his hind legs, supporting himself against the knee. Kenshin could feel a slight weight lean towards him until tiny breaths were ghosting across his face. He could smell the fish Youkai had eaten for dinner.

At long last, Kenshin moved. His god-like speed caught the cat off guard. The front paws and shoulders were captured in his hands before the feline had a chance to escape. Slowly the rurouni opened his eyes, giving the gaze of a predator. Amber met amber, and Youkai flinched.

Kenshin studied the cat. It looked bigger than its previous kitten size. Its ears had little tufts on them that were black as pitch, the only part of it that was not soft gray. Passing his eyes over the triangular face, Kenshin noticed a small glitter in the mouth. It just barely poked out through little cat lips.

Kenshin transferred Youkai's paws into one hand and took a good grip, squeezing tightly enough to keep him from slipping away. He brought his other knee up to hold her body still. The kitten seemed to realize he'd seen whatever it was guarding and began fighting his grip.

The rurouni frowned. Youkai was stronger than he had a right to be. His grip against her tightened even more. Carefully, he reached towards Youkai's mouth. The cat held his head away from Kenshin, twisting to one side so that he looked over he shoulder. In turn, Kenshin's hand darted forward like a viper, and he had the cat's chin in a grip so quickly that the object in its mouth flew into his lap.

"Why thank you," he said dryly, releasing his jaw. Youkai hissed and growled deep in his belly. Kenshin picked up the object. It was a little, blue glass bottle. The stopper was also glass, though melted rubber had been smeared at the top to seal it. The stopper extended like a needle into the liquid in the bottle.

Kenshin held his prize up to the scant light, studying the liquid to try and see what it was. It was syrupy, dark, but not necessarily opaque. His still-golden eyes narrowed as something on the bottle caught the light. He turned it carefully, running his thumb over the smooth surface. As he'd suspected, a character was stamped into the glass.

He closed his eyes, still running his thumb over the surface. In this light, he'd much rather trust touch over sight. Carefully, he traced each stroke until he understood the word. When it's meaning came into his head, his eyes popped open, and he was so dumbstruck that Youkai managed to wriggle free.

The feline jumped away from him, glaring angrily as he met the other's glowing gaze with equal emotion.

"Lust?" he questioned quietly. "Bottled lust?"

The cat shook its head vehemently. He was disinclined to trust it. "What the hell are you and why are you here?"

He stood as spoke, his voice deadly quiet. The cat backed away slowly, making for the shoji. Kenshin was not surprised when the door slid open of its own accord. Youkai bolted out the door. He followed on the beast's heels, intent on an answer.

He stopped as he slid out onto the deck. The cat had disappeared. Kenshin moved cautiously forward, drawing his sakabatou as he went. His emotions went beyond anger. That someone, anyone, would try to take advantage of Kaoru in that way (for who else would he be attracted to but her) brought the heat of rage to his blood so quickly that white flashed before his eyes.

Even with his senses bent on his surroundings, Kenshin was still taken by surprise when the cat darted out of a hallway at him. He stopped moving, but the fuzzball did not. Youkai head-butted him with the force of a small ram, and he was so startled that his center of gravity shifted. That was all Youkai needed. He circled around the backs of the rurouni's legs and pushed with all his might.

Kenshin toppled forward, hands moving to take the blow before he'd even registered that he was falling. The cat was at his head as he hit the wood. Before he could recover to get away, the beast breathed on him. Sparkles like lightning bugs filled the air between them, and Kenshin blinked at them. His head slowly went woozy, as though he'd had too much sake. He started to lose focus of the scene before him.

Youkai moved into his field of vision. The bottled lust was in his mouth. Sluggishly, Kenshin shook his head, trying to push him away. The cat growled and spat the bottle away. The redhead stopped struggling. Black flowers were blooming in front of his eyes. Again the cat leaned forward. Its breath ghosted across his face and tiny sparkles joined the growing blackness. As he went under, Kenshin had a sinking feeling that in the morning, all this would be a vague dream.

OoOoOoO

Kenshin was unusually slow in waking the next morning. His senses felt dulled and he was disoriented for a moment by a sound he couldn't quite place. Slowly, he came into a fully waking state and was immediately sorry he hadn't remained asleep. He sat up and bit his lip to withhold a groan. He felt as though he'd been pounded with the blunt edge of a sword, several times.

Almost fearfully, he looked around the room. Blinking and rubbing his eyes did not change what he saw, and the pain in his head told him he was not dreaming. Kenshin was indeed in Kaoru's room. The unfamiliar sound had been Kaoru's semi-snoring. He'd never been aware of the sound before, but perhaps he'd never been close enough to hear it.

The next revelation for Kenshin was the fact that he was not asleep against the wall, where he usually rested when he snuck into Kaoru's room to listen to her breathing. He was, in fact, lying right next to Kaoru. His loose hair brushed his own skin, bringing his attention to the fact that he'd slid his yukata from his shoulders. The action had probably been done in his sleep to relieve the heat of summer, but he felt embarrassed none the less.

Kenshin scrubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm as he tried to recall the previous night. The pounding in his head worsened when he tried to stand, so he remained sitting for a moment. The rurouni frowned slightly. Try as he might, he could not remember the night before.

His body was exhibiting the definite signs of a hangover, but Kenshin knew for a fact that he had had nothing alcoholic to drink since he left his shishou after learning the succession technique. He feared the loss of control sake might bring about in him, inadvertently releasing his bloodlust.

Kenshin looked down at the sleeping girl next to him. Clearly his bloodlust hadn't been unleashed, but what had? His blush returned ten-fold when he realized one of Kaoru's legs was entangled with his. _I didn't…I couldn't have…_

Trying to clear his head slightly, Kenshin extricated his leg and pulled his yukata back up around his shoulders. Kaoru mumbled something and he froze, fearing that she was waking. But she only turned towards him and flung out an arm, which unfortunately landed in his lap. He backed away across the floor as though he'd been burned.

His eyes searched the room for his sakabatou and saw that it was not there. Quietly, Kenshin stood, gazing down at the girl. _If I did…_ he could not bring himself to think the thought. It seemed unlikely. They'd both still been clothed after all, but still… For just a moment, he allowed himself to study her.

In sleep, she was even more open than when waking. Her fine features were slack and her mouth hung open slightly. Her lips did look slightly fuller and redder than usual, as though they'd been thoroughly kissed. Kenshin was positive his face was now the same shade as his hair. Only once did his eyes drop to the tantalizing hint of cleavage that showed through her sleeping garment. He shook his head rapidly and looked back to her neck. It still held a fascination for him and he had, for a moment, the strongest impulse to go and kiss the juncture of her shoulder and throat, if only to see if it tasted as good as her lips.

Kaoru stirred again and Kenshin immediately snapped out of his reverie. Even as she started stretching, he was rushing out and sliding the shoji shut as quietly as possible. Hopefully, she would never know he'd been there. _Right,_ he thought sarcastically to himself, _and Sano will stop freeloading and get a job. I don't know how, but with my luck, she will find out._ He gave a soft sigh and went to seek out what had become of his gi, hakama, and sakabatou.

OoOoOoO

Kaoru thoroughly enjoyed her stretch and opened her eyes with a look of contentment. She frowned. Had the shoji just been closing? She studied the door for a moment, as though looking at it would answer her question. Shaking her head, she stood and stretched again. Warm sunlight streamed through the paper screens and called her name. She smiled, but the expression dropped as she caught something glinting on the cream sleeve of her yukata.

Bringing the sleeve closer for inspection, Kaoru searched for what had caught her eye. She nearly gasped when she found it. Pinching her fingers against the fabric, she pulled a long hair from it. In the first light of morning, the hair shone coppery red.

OoOoOoO

"KEEEENSHIIIIIIN!"

The rurouni visibly cringed as his name was roared out from the house. He had been hoping to get a kata in before Kaoru emerged from her room, but it was too late now. He'd have to sneak off later today, if he wasn't chained to the laundry tub and being threatened with a bokken. His headache now had no chance of improving.

Kaoru came storming out of the house, still in her yukata and brandishing a bokken. Yahiko followed behind her, dressed similarly and still rubbing sleep from his eyes. Kenshin vaguely wondered if he might escape before it was too late, but the thought of how angry she'd be when he returned was even worse than this.

Instead he decided to go for naivety. "Kaoru-dono, what is it?"

"YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT _IT_ IS! Her volume was double anything he'd ever heard before.

"Sessha is afraid…"

"DON'T YOU PLAY INNOCENT WITH ME!"

She was now within hitting distance. Kenshin started edging away. Kaoru's hitting hurt bad enough when she was at a normal level of anger. With all this rage, he was likely to be out from a week.

Unfortunately for Kenshin, she noticed his movements.

"YOU ROTTEN HENTAI!" Before she finished the sentence, he was being pounded into the ground so hard it was leaving an impression.

"Oi, busu! What'd he do?"

Kaoru stopped hitting Kenshin long enough to give Yahiko the death glare from hell.

"Ok," he said, backing away slowly, "I'll ask later." With that, he turned and ran into the house before he too was forced to eat dirt for breakfast.

By the time Kaoru finished venting her rage, there was a Kenshin-shaped crater in the yard. Kenshin was starry-eyed and on the point of blacking out, and she felt much better for the beating. Slowly, the rurouni sat up from his hole in the ground.

When she heard him move, Kaoru turned one glaring eye back. "Go make breakfast!" she said, pointing imperiously towards the kitchen.

Kenshin nodded and stumbled off without a word. He feared if he even muttered an "oro" he'd be back on the ground and adding another crater to the yard. Kaoru watched him go, trying to figure out a punishment even as she wondered at his strange behavior.

Absently, she reached down to scratch Youkai under the chin. The little kitten had come out to watch the action and now mewled at her in the most adorable fashion. She gave the cat one last scratch before she turned to change into her training clothes.

However, a chill on her back made her turn around at the last second. Kaoru blinked and rubbed her eyes. For a moment, she could have sworn Youkai was fixing her with a predatory gaze that was startlingly familiar in that it was brilliant amber. But when she looked again, the cat's eyes were sky blue as always. She shook her head and went to her room.

OoOoOoO

Kenshin had been on edge all day, and not just from the potential of a beating around every corner. His senses rankled him and he did not know why. Every time he looked up from the laundry to study the yard, nothing was out of the ordinary. Yahiko was polishing the floor at break-neck speed, Kaoru was barely visible in the training hall, and Youkai curled up in a patch of sun in one of the few tuffets of grass left after drought.

Quite suddenly, memory flashed through Kenshin of the brief storm yesterday. Part of him found it hard to believe that he could forget the cat's role in getting him into a room with Kaoru with his senses off kilter. The other part was happily rejoicing that Kaoru, though she had beaten him thoroughly this morning, didn't seem to have minded the kiss.

Kenshin eyed the cat from beneath his bangs. It opened one sky blue eye lazily, sensing his studious glance, before standing and stretching. Kenshin stiffened, but the cat only walked away into the house, presumably to find more of Kaoru's linens to rip to shreds. He glared at the creature's back, even as the back of his mind shouted a thank you.

He turned from the cat when he heard a foot tapping not to far from him. He was positive that he'd been aware of Kaoru's approach, so how had he failed to notice her proximity—well within hitting range.

Kaoru watched Kenshin as he visibly tensed and turned towards her, the perfect picture of penance and regret. She was still confused as to what to think of his actions early this morning. At first, she'd been disinclined to believe Kenshin of capable of such a thing, but the red hair and the fact that he hadn't exactly denied her accusations told her enough to change her mind.

Once she truly believed he had in fact been in her room while she was sleeping, her thoughts turned to turmoil. Kenshin was an honorable man—too honorable if she had much to say about it. What had ever brought him into the room of an unmarried woman who was just barely eighteen? However, secretly, she was delighted. The small show of something inside the rurouni, even if it was only an over-protective nature, was more than she could have possibly hoped for out of the man. Any time he would drop his smiling mask to show the fire and wildness within was a time that Kaoru cherished beyond any other. And one little part of her mind could not help but hope he'd been in her room for reasons other than protecting her.

She tapped her foot more loudly and pointed at the furo, which looked lonely and desolate. His eyes widened with surprise and then shame. Immediately, he stood.

"Forgive sessha, Kaoru-dono. Sessha was unaware of the time. Sessha will prepare the bath immediately."

He bowed and backed hastily out of range of her bokken. She let him, instead turning towards the laundry. It looked as though he'd been almost finished, but she wasn't about to help him with his chores now. She gave a surreptitious glance over her shoulder at his retreating back.

Kenshin had said absolutely nothing of their kiss the day before—of course she wasn't giving him much of a chance to speak at all. But still…unconsciously Kaoru's hand raised to her lips. _Did it even mean anything to him? Or was he just being…something…_

"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin called from across the yard. Kaoru quickly dropped her hand and turned towards him. "Your bath is ready." She must have been thinking for longer than she'd expected if he'd readied it already.

Putting on her best I'm-still-really-pissed-at-you face, Kaoru stalked past him into the bath house without a second thought. He watched her go, silently appreciating the view before mentally smacking himself. _Baka! Being a hentai is what got me in this mess in the first place…at least…I think it is…_

OoOoOoO

Kenshin fed another log to the fire. Knowing Kaoru, she would be staying in the furo a very long time today, and if he let the bath get cool, there would be hell to pay when she emerged.

"Hey Kenshin!"

The rurouni turned to look over his shoulder at a rapidly approaching Yahiko, who was rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He spread a wide grin for the boy and said, "What is it Yahiko?"

"Where's busu?"

"I heard that," came a muffled voice from inside the bathhouse.

Yahiko shrugged and came closer. "Just thought I'd let you know that there were no towels left in the furo _before_ Kaoru went in there, but it looks like I'm a little too late."

Kenshin frowned slightly. Hadn't he just put a fresh supply in there that morning? _No matter,_ he thought to himself. _I'll just get some more._

"If you'll excuse me, Yahiko. Thank you for telling me."

The boy shrugged and walked off towards his room. If he was lucky, he could hurry over to the Akabeko and make some money before the day was through. As bad a mood as Kaoru had been in all day, he'd much rather deal with semi-drunk customers.

OoOoOoO

Kenshin managed to locate some clean towels in the room he'd hung laundry in during the storm yesterday. He gathered several and made his way to the bathhouse. If he was very quiet, Kaoru might never even know he'd been in the entrance room.

Kenshin slid the outer door open slowly and made a point to walk on the balls of his feet, making his footsteps completely silent. He set the towels a few feet from Kaoru's clothes, not close enough to make her suspicious but not far enough to escape her notice.

He turned to leave, but froze when he heard the sliding of the door. Gulping, Kenshin turned, expecting full well to be hit before he saw anything that would warrant the blow. However, there was no one there. The door seemed to have slid open a few feet of its own accord. Kenshin frowned and stepped closer.

His senses had already overloaded into high alert, and the back of his mind prickled with something almost like a memory. If not for his complete attention to his surroundings, he might have missed Youkai, standing directly in the path of his feet and looking up expectantly. He could have sworn the cat frowned when he met those sky blue eyes.

Kenshin muttered a word that may very well have been purely the influence of Sano before stepping over the cat towards the door. _Stupid beast has already learned how to open the shoji screens. No wonder Kaoru's sheets keep getting ripped to shreds. I'll just bet…_

Kenshin was not permitted to continue the thought. Just at his point of weakest balance while stepping over the cat, it darted forward, bumping his grounded leg and effectively placing itself in the spot where his other foot would have come down. The rurouni felt ground rushing at him and was acutely aware of the tiny body he would crush if he came down full force. And so, he took his only choice.

With what little leverage he had left, Kenshin pushed against the ground with his other foot and propelled himself forward. He rotated in the air so that his shoulder was flying to take the shock the shoji door was going to give him. He caught a satisfied amber gaze just before impact.

OoOoOoO

Kaoru froze when she heard a sudden thump on the other side of the room, her eyes locking on the partially open door. She frowned, fully remembering that she had ensured that the door was shut before settling down to a bath. Not a moment later, there was an almighty crash as paper and wood gave way under force. Kaoru stared dumbfounded as a dust-covered head of red hair came into view and emitted a half-hearted "oro." Kenshin hit the floor hard on his side and for a moment felt black spots dance on the edge of his awareness. _Should have jumped the other way,_ he thought foggily.

"Kenshin?"

He froze at the inquiring voice behind him. _Ten seconds tops…she will explode before ten seconds are up._

"Are…are you ok?"

He could hear the struggle in her voice, torn between ranting out loud and expressing concern for what was obviously a painful fall. Slowly, keeping his back to her, he stood, unconsciously rubbing his shoulder. _That will be a lovely bruise in the morning._

"Sessha is fine, Kaoru-dono. Please forgive sessha. Sessha was placing some towels down for you and was unaware Youkai was in the room. Sessha tripped over him." His hand went to his head, fingers burying themselves in his long red hair as he rubbed his scalp in embarrassment.

Kaoru had to shake her head heavily to ignore the motion. "And I'm supposed to believe this because…?"

Kenshin gulped. How could he prove anything? There were no witnesses, save a cat who seemed hell bent on making his life as miserable as humanly…or perhaps felinely, possible. He certainly couldn't convey honesty in his eyes because that would require eye contact, something Kenshin was unsure of. Given his luck for the past few days, he'd most likely accidentally glance down for just a second too long. Then, he'd have yet another lump on his head and a still-very-pissed Kaoru on his hands.

So he settled for blatant honesty and prayed Kaoru was in a forgiving, or at least pitying, mood.

"Sessha has no way to prove this to you, Kaoru-dono. Nothing…nothing I say will change that."

Kaoru blinked. Had sheer humiliation really made him drop the damned "sessha?" A slow smile spread on her face. Maybe she could use this to her advantage.

"Come here, Kenshin," she said softly. His back stiffened, and he actually dared to glance over his shoulder. Kaoru was pressed against the side of the tub, head resting on her arms. Absolutely nothing was visible. He stoically ignored the part of him that was sorry about that.

After a moment's consideration, he walked backwards across the room, stepping on tiptoe to avoid splintered pieces of wood.

"Sit down." Kaoru's voice was a low purr, but he could still feel the dangerous edge under it. If not for that hidden threat, he might have thought Kaoru was flirting with him…blatantly flirting. He gulped as he followed her instructions.

"Now Kenshin," she spoke very close to his ear, so that her breath drifted across his neck. Goosebumps danced on his flesh. _Baka! The moment you let your guard down, a very pissed Kaoru is going to make you ground meat!_ This thought alone was all that kept him from leaning towards her voice, her lips.

"I'm going to make you a deal that I think is probably in the best interest of your health."

The impulse to lean closer was now diminishing as quickly as Sano's money when there was a gambling ring nearby.

"You can either go outside and wait for me to come beat the snot out of you. I promise broken bones this time. Or…"

She drew out the word and he was suddenly afraid.

"I will pretend this never happened."

He nearly sighed with relief, but she interrupted fast enough to make his stomach sink like a rock.

"If you drop the 'sessha' and start calling me Kaoru. I don't want to hear another 'sessha' or 'dono' as long as I live. That's my offer. You pick."

He felt her draw away slightly, but not much. "You have ten seconds to decide."

Kenshin's mind raced forward. Broken bones, or leaving behind a title he deserved and an honorific that ensured some distance to Kaoru--distance he desperately needed to maintain in light of recent events.

_Why is it always me?_ he thought to himself as Kaoru slowly counted down behind him.

OoOoOoO

_That went quite well, _Kaoru thought to herself as she gently toweled her hair dry. Kenshin had of course, agreed to her terms. He would not call himself sessha anymore, or call her Kaoru-dono. What were two stupid words compared to a couple broken bones?

As for his crashing in on her in the first place…well, to be perfectly honest, Kaoru didn't mind. The only negative feeling she'd had towards the whole situation was that he hadn't come to see her of his own volition. However, Kaoru was starting to think that maybe Youkai was worth all the sheets he kept tearing to shreds.

_Speak of the…well…the Youkai,_ she thought as the cat rubbed against her bare legs. She leaned down and gave a loving scratch to its chin. The cat's eyes closed in bliss and he pressed his nose into Kaoru's palm.

Kaoru sighed, sitting heavily on the small bench in the entrance chamber. "You know, Youkai, I love Kenshin. I really do. But that man can be the densest, most impossible person on the planet sometimes. I should be thanking you. I never thought I'd get him to stop calling me Kaoru-dono. As if I'm some honorable lady." She snorted and leaned onto her hand. Youkai leapt up next to her and began rubbing against her arm.

"It's wonderful that he's such an honorable man. But sometimes, he oversteps it. I know he thinks he's unworthy, but for kami's sake…'sessha.'" Youkai purred loudly and put two forepaws on Kaoru's thigh, moving to rub against her neck. She petted the demanding kitten absently.

"I'm glad he finally worked up the nerve to kiss me though. I was starting to wonder if he even liked me as much as I love him."

She turned to the cat, who opened his little sky blue eyes and gave a questioning meow.

"What's wrong with me? I'm confessing to a cat. I may have finally gone off the deep end."

Kaoru stood, lightly pushing the cat off her. She gathered her clothing and changed, humming a soft tune. The shihandai left the furo in a considerably good mood.

Youkai wandered out behind her, eyes following her back predatorily. When Kaoru had disappeared into the house, the cat looked towards the corner knowingly. He was rewarded when Kenshin emerged silently a moment later. The rurouni didn't even glance towards the kitten in the doorway. Instead, he stalked off to his own room.

Youkai smirked, strange little lips pulling distinctly into a smile. Kenshin's eyes had been brilliant amber.

OoOoOoO

Japanese glossary:

Youkai: demon…in other words Devil for those of you who didn't get the joke. You know: demon/devil and tomto/tomto…never mind

yukata: light kimono often used to sleep in

tatami: grass mats used as flooring in traditional Japanese homes

shishou: Master (Kenshin is referring specifically Hiko Seijiro)

gi: traditional shortened kimono that Kenshin typically wears (bright magenta _snicker_)

hakama: loose fitting traditional pants that can either be a skirt for a kimono or a split-pant for a gi

sakabatou: reverse-blade sword

kata: a set of movements used to hone skills in martial arts

bokken: wodden sword

busu: ugly or hag

sessha: this unworthy one

furo: bathhouse

baka: idiot

hentai: pervert

oro: No English translation, but it's what Kenshin says to express surprise, embarrassment, pretty much anything that he doesn't have words to describe.

A/N: I'm sure I forgot something in the translations, but oh well.

Kenshin: Why do you torture me?"

Authoress: Were you ever gonna get around to this without help?

Kenshin:…

Authoress: That's what I thought. Now, what say you to pizza and a movie?"

Kenshin: _runs screaming in the other direction_

Authoress: _raises eyebrow_ In other news, I know I sessha'd Kenshin to death in this chapter, but he was trying to be penitent and I was trying to make a point of how sick Kaoru would get of hearing him beleaguer himself every day.

Reviewer Response: Woot! I have three, count 'em three, reviewers and they're all gonna get responses because I love people considerate enough to click the little button at the bottom of the page.

Triste 1: So incredibly glad you're enjoying the fic thus far. What do you mean supernatural? Youkai is just an ordinary cat. _innocent authorial whistle_ It's also great to know someone appreciate the glossary. At least I'm not typing it for no apparent reason.

Gypsy-chan: Great to know you liked the story so far. I like anytime Kenshin manages to kiss Kaoru, so I try and fit them in as often as possible, though he doesn't this chapter. I added Youkai to chapter 1's dictionary and am so embarrassed I forgot it in the first place. It is also part of this chapter's dictionary. I have now enabled anonymous reviews (didn't realize the default was off) and hopefully will get more from all the lazy people who don't log in.

Stella-neko: Youkai is a perfectly normal cat whose eyes happen to change color…stop looking at me like that; I'm telling the truth. My scene change lines aren't showing up! I must look into this immediately and correct it. I would like to take this time to officially apologize to all readers who got confused by that.


	3. Part III

**The Catalyst: _Part III_**

By Jade LightningWolf

Disclaimer: If you still haven't figured out that Kenshin is definitely not mine, perhaps you would like to take my place in seeing my imaginary therapist. He's a great guy, really.

Rating: Yeah, this one's definitely PG-13 (T) for innuendo. Stop clapping you hentai.

Kaoru tossed in her bed fretfully. The oppressive summer heat was getting to her. She felt as though a very large, very wet, very warm blanket was pressing down on her chest. With a sigh, she turned onto her side, tossing her covers aside as she moved. In the distance, she could just make out a rumble of thunder. A storm was coming, but it would probably do little to relieve the heat.

She had nearly drifted into a dozing sleep when she heard her shoji click open. She stiffened, remembering that Kenshin had been in her room last night. If he was back, she didn't want to scare him off. She strained her ears, listening for any sign of who or what was there. After a very long time, she shook herself slightly and turned over, deciding she'd imagined the noise. She refused to open her eyes and look to make sure, though.

It was nearly another minute before something brushed against Kaoru. She had not expected it and nearly jumped out of her skin. She whipped around, fully ready to beat Kenshin's head in. Instead, she found herself looking into wide, sky-blue eyes.

Kaoru growled savagely and she mentally berated herself._ Smooth, Kaoru. If you'd take a moment to use your brain, you'd remember you locked the damn rurouni in the storage shed for the night. Serves him right, too, _she thought as she gave a satisfied, if not rather evil, chuckle.

Still smiling, Kaoru lifted Youkai up and looked into the kitten's eyes. The cat, in turn, gave inquiring meow before rising in Kaoru's arms to but its head against her chin. "So this is how you keep getting in my room. You've figured out how to open the doors, have you?" Youkai meowed again in reply and then began a rumbling purr in his throat. "Stupid cat," Kaoru mumbled, even as she settled back onto her futon, placing the cat beside her.

She might have easily gone to sleep then, if not for Youkai. The kitten glared at the girl, feeling her consciousness slip under a cover of darkness. After a moment's thinking, the cat rose and paced along Kaoru's side. Gently, it placed a paw on her throat, keeping claws retracted. Kaoru mumbled something and tried to swat the limb away.

Youkai growled inaudibly and placed his other paw on the shihandai's shoulder. This seemed to quiet Kaoru, and she stopped flapping her hand about. Leaning forward, Youkai nuzzled Kaoru's neck, pressing his cold nose to the skin. The girl mumbled slightly, saying something that sounded distinctly like "little to the left", but a smile was growing on her face. Youkai purred and rubbed against her throat again.

Kaoru's eyes slid open trying to ascertain what was happening through a haze of sleep. All she could make out in her dim room was a set of burning amber eyes.

"Mmm, Kenshin," she said softly, turning onto her side. Slowly, her sapphire eyes slid closed, though she was not technically asleep. Youkai relaxed his frozen frame before leaning towards Kaoru's face and giving her a little lick on the lips. Kaoru giggled almost childishly. He returned to her neck, rubbing against the hollow of her throat in an almost reverent manner.

The girl eased her head back. "That…that feels good…Kenshin."

Youkai's ears pricked upwards suddenly, and he slowed his ministrations, though this seemed to infuriate Kaoru and she moaned loudly, half protest and half arousal. Again, the small sound reached his ears. The cat gave another little smile before turning from his mistress. Sure enough, Kenshin stood in the open door frame, staring down at the scene. His eyes were burning fiercely amber.

OoOoOoO

Kenshin had been equally restless as night fell. His thoughts spun with Kaoru's words. He couldn't stop remembering the feel of her lips against his. Being locked in the storage shed most certainly did not help. So he waited until the house slept before easily picking the lock and escaping confinement. A kata would ease his restlessness and he could lock himself back in the shed when he was done. He chose to practice in the training hall, not desiring to be rained upon.

The large room was eerily empty and silent. Kenshin did not light a candle to ease the loneliness. His night vision was excellent and the flame could attract unwanted attention, mainly from Kaoru.

He shrugged his gi from his shoulders and let it hang around his waist. Easily, the rurouni fell into stance for batou-jutsu. The hilt of his sword against his fingers was comforting. In a blinding movement, he began.

His body moved of its own accord, shifting through movements that it had done so much they were instinct. Unfortunately, this left Kenshin's mind free to wander and think. Kaoru's words again echoed through his head. 'I was starting to wonder if he even liked me as much as I love him.'

_How could she love me? I'm…well, first of all I'm almost eleven years older than she is. And…I'm an ex assassin. I'm not worthy of a dog's love, let alone a woman._ Kenshin felt his shoulder twinge as he missed an angle on a slash. Turning outwardly for a moment, he adjusted his stance and tried the slash again, though he never stopped moving. Too soon, he was thinking again.

_I shouldn't be having these thoughts. She will find someone her age and forget I ever existed._ He conveniently forgot that he had scared away any suitors she had received. Those that were earnest had been politely turned away by Kenshin. He'd explained to them that Kaoru was spoken for, without ever actually saying that it was he who was courting her. Some were simply desirous of the novelty a sword-wielding wife would offer. Those suitors had been introduced to Kenshin's sakabatou and had quickly changed their minds.

_Perhaps,_ he thought hesitantly, _perhaps I should leave before I hurt her._ His mind balked at such a suggestion, but remaining near her with such a poor handle on his control could only result in disastrous things. _But then, she would hate you for leaving._ Kenshin stoically ignored this voice and instead moved to wondering why his control had left him so suddenly.

He was forced to think it had something to do with her request to him to be more open. Subconsciously, he was trying to do as she asked. Kissing her had been purely impulsive, but it was addictive, almost like a drug. At the first taste, he was hooked and only wanted more.

With a flourish, Kenshin finished his kata. He held perfectly still for a moment, sword extended in front of him. Then he drew up and sheathed the sakabatou. A sheen of sweat glistened on his skin and the heat pressed in around him. He chose to leave his gi down. Quietly he paced out of the training hall. Before he realized it, he was walking his path for the night, checking the doors and yard for danger. He considered not checking Kaoru's door, but force of habit was a strong motivator.

He froze in her hallway, however, when he heard her voice float through the night air. She sounded playful and quite awake. His mind struggled to find a reason as to why she was still awake and sounding quite happy. He remained still in the hallway as he sifted through reason after reason, carefully dancing around the one he feared. After a while, she was silent and he'd nearly decided to peek in on her when he heard her again. She sounded…desirous.

At long last, Kenshin was forced to draw a conclusion he'd been avoiding. Kaoru was in her room with a lover. That was the only explanation that made any sense to him. _Loves me, hmmm?_ he thought with rye humor, resolving to return to the storage shed. But his feet would not move, despite his orders. Kaoru said something again and her voice seemed to snap something in his mind.

Kenshin became detached from his body as though he was a spectator in his own mind. He moved forward swiftly and silently, sliding back the screen without making a sound. The scene he was greeted with was certainly not what he'd been expecting.

At first glance, Kaoru seemed to be alone. Her eyes were closed and a smile played across her face. Then, a shadow near her face moved. Kenshin narrowed his eyes at it. _Is that…the cat?_ His thoughts were interrupted as Kaoru spoke. "That…that feels good…Kenshin."

He felt his muscles come to a screaming halt. Did she know he was at her door or was there something else happening here? As if to answer his question, Youkai turned and pinned an amber gaze on the rurouni. Kenshin might have simply run from the room, but Kaoru gave a moan of protest at the loss of attention. Youkai tilted his head questioningly as Kenshin entered the room.

The rurouni gave a pointed glare at the cat. For once, the beast took a hint and left. Kenshin slid the door shut behind him. Kaoru's eyes were still closed, but her face seemed troubled. He moved towards her like a predator stalking prey. One of her eyes opened just as he knelt at her side.

"Kenshin?" Her voice was rough and thick, as though she'd just awoken from deep sleep. He smiled gently at her, moving a hand to push her hair out of her face. She seemed confused and he wanted her fully awake for this talk.

Her brow wrinkled into a frown and she sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as she went. He felt a twinge of disappointment when her hand moved to clutch her yukata shut, even though he knew it was probably for the best. She blinked several times before speaking again.

"What's going on, Kenshin?"

"We need to talk." He tried desperately to keep his voice from dropping lower, but was quite unable to control it. He noted her shiver at the sound and wondered if it was from fear or something else.

"About what?" she asked softly, backing away from him slightly. He frowned at the movement, but did not stop her.

"Did you mean what you said in the bathhouse earlier today?"

"Mean what? The deal I made with you? That better not be why you woke me up in the middle of the night."

"Not that," he said quietly. "The part I wasn't supposed to hear. When you were talking to Youkai."

He studied her emotions as color drained from her face. There seemed to be embarrassment, but more evident was fear.

"You heard that?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

"Every word."

She was shivering now, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her and kiss her, but he had to hear this.

"You weren't supposed to hear that." She seemed to be in shock.

"But I did hear it. What I want to know is if you meant it."

Almost in a shameful gesture, she nodded.

"Good, that was all I needed to know."

Kaoru got no further warning to what was coming as he swept her into his arms and kissed her.

OoOoOoO

Kaoru's mind was in a state of disarray. She could not tell if she was dreaming or waking. She remembered someone caressing her neck, a gentle kiss on her lips, and could have sworn it was Kenshin. But then she'd opened her eyes and he'd been kneeling beside her, informing her that he'd heard what she confessed to Youkai. Now…well, now she could hardly think for the feelings swamping her.

She had certainly not expected his reaction when she told him that she had indeed been telling the truth when she said she was in love with him. His strong arms cradled her form before she could even begin to protest. Some vaguely coherent part of her acknowledged the fact that yes, Kenshin was kissing her fiercely, but it seemed like so much more.

Everything about him, from the way his hand was rubbing circles into her back to the way his tongue danced with hers seemed to be pouring his emotions from himself to her. She felt smothered under the weight of everything. There was guilt, desperation, self-loathing. She was familiar with all of these—well aware that her rurouni suffered from them. But she had not expected the overwhelming sense of protection, possession, thankfulness…love.

It seemed an eternity before Kenshin pulled away. It only occurred to her later that she had been kissing him back as best she could, trying to match the heat and fervor she felt from him. As he moved back, her body protested, but she was desperate for two things: air and the ability to think.

She took a gasping breath and met his burning amber gaze. Whenever she'd seen that color before, he'd been fighting. This was no battle. She'd tried not to think of Kenshin as two separate entities throughout her years of knowing him, but it was hard when he could so drastically change his demeanor. Everything about him when he was like this was fierce and hard and wild. He was not the soft-spoken, gentle man she was used to when his eyes were like this. And yet, he was.

She shivered as he breathed her name, his voice dropping down a register into a baritone that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Kaoru could feel the desire in his gaze, a heat she had known was in him somewhere but which he had never felt inclined to show her before. She could feel in the way his hand continued to run along the length of her spine that he wanted to continue kissing her and was only stopping himself by sheer force of will.

His voice came out in a husky whisper as he said, "How could you think I don't love you?"

That was just about the last thing she'd expected to hear from him. She'd been expecting a reprieve, a dismissal…anything but a confession. She'd long ago come to the conclusion that Kenshin considered her too young, to immature to fulfill his expectations. It had been an easy way to explain how seemingly protective of her he was, even though he'd never before done anything but hug her. She'd decided that he saw their relationship as something of an older brother to a younger sister. And she had accepted this.

Now he was tilting all her well-thought-out explanations on their heads. She could barely think for the confusion clogging her head.

"Kenshin, I…" Her words struggled to find some measure of coherence. He pressed a finger to her lips, effectively silencing her as well as destroying what measure of sanity she'd managed to regain.

"Think this over for a moment, Kaoru. Just think."

She struggled to tell him it was impossible for her to think in their current situation, but his finger remained against her lips, furthering her problems. She calmed in his arms, hoping the tactic would get him to back off. No such luck. At long last, his hand moved and allowed her room to speak. She uttered the first sentence that came to mind.

"I thought it because you never acted like it."

He blinked as though surprised. The emotion seemed out of place in his amber gaze. She'd never thought he could look surprised when he was like this. She watched him closely. His face was impassive, almost emotionless as Aoshi's. But there were subtle changes in his eyes that said he was thinking and thinking hard. She was quite shocked when he chuckled.

"No…I don't suppose I have."

He released her slowly, lowering her back to her futon. Sitting next to her, his face became serious.

"I…was afraid to show such emotions." He studied her stunned gaze a moment before continuing. "You're so young, Kaoru. I didn't know how you would react to the advances of a man nearly eleven years your senior. I didn't want to scare you.

"You're also…" he paused frowning, "you're so innocent. I don't want to take that innocence. I don't want to stain your hands with the blood that is already on mine. You deserve better than what I have to offer." As though he was arguing with himself and this was the decisive statement, he moved to get up and leave. Kaoru, realizing his intent, grabbed his sleeve and held him back. He looked at her questionably.

"Kenshin, don't you leave before finishing something you started." That got him looking more like his rurouni self. A murmured "oro" and a look that was vaguely swirly-eyed brought a small smile to her face. "Besides, since when do you get to decide what I deserve."

She looked away for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Then she turned back to him, blue eyes shining in the semi-dark.

"You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Always you're worrying about the sins of your past and punishing yourself for them. And then you take on the sins of the present, too, even though they're not your sins. You can't take on everything without help. Even you're not that strong, Kenshin. All I wanted…all I wanted was to help you take that whole weight of the world off your shoulders for a little while. I'm more than willing to bear it, even though I know you won't let me keep it."

Tears were shining in her eyes now. "Whether you like it or not, I love you and I'll be damned if I just let you sit back and condemn yourself when you've more than atoned for the lives you've taken."

Kenshin looked stunned, absolutely shell-shocked. Then, seeing she'd finished, he shook himself slightly. He took her hands in his own, looking down at them. Her hands were hardened and rough with sword calluses, dry from hard work. Beautiful hands. He took brought them to his mouth and laid a gentle kiss on them. Looking up from beneath his eyelashes, he could discern a fierce blush in Kaoru's skin.

"If that is truly how you feel…then…this unworthy one would be honored if you…would be his wife."

Tears streamed down her face almost immediately after he finished, but the smile that lit her face told him they were the right kind of tears. He took her face in his hands and gently thumbed away the tears, kissing her softly and lovingly. When he broke away, she nodded fervently.

"Of course I'll marry you, Kenshin."

He felt a grin spread on his face before he kissed her again, deepening this one until she was pressed against him and making soft mewls in the back of her throat. Sighing, Kenshin released her. He had spent the last of his control for the day and anything he did beyond this point was something he would regret later. Slowly, he stood.

"Where…where are you going?" Her voice was husky with desire and nearly made him fall back to his knees.

"I'm…" he tried to hide the cracking he felt in his voice, but it was damn near impossible. "I'm going to take a quick bath."

He could see her frown in the darkness. "But…didn't you already bathe today?"

"Kaoru, we are not yet married. If I remain here…let us say that it is best if I leave."

The blush rose again in her cheeks. He couldn't help but chuckle as he left the room. Entering the bathhouse, he loosed his hakama and hurried towards the tub. Dipping a hand in, he gave a sigh of relief. Without hesitation, he plunged himself into the ice-cold water and didn't emerge for nearly half an hour.

OoOoOoO

Kenshin and Kaoru made the announcement the next morning. The wedding would occur in two weeks, to give everyone time to travel in from where ever they'd managed to wander off to. Kaoru became subject to much teasing by Tae, Tsubame, and Yahiko.

Kenshin's demeanor changed entirely. Though he had not made another appearance in her room since the night he'd proposed, he was certainly not above small shows of affection elsewhere. Occasionally, when they passed each other in the hall, he would suddenly pin her to the wall and kiss her senseless. Those particular interludes lasted perhaps ten seconds and then he'd walk away and resume whatever he'd been doing as though nothing had happened. At other times, he simply held her hand, often while they were eating supper or walking to and from the market.

On one occasion, he had followed her into the bathhouse and scrubbed her back and hair for her. The thought of it still made her blush, especially the memory of his burning golden eyes when she'd emerged. He'd disappeared after that and returned half an hour later dripping wet. Apparently he'd gone swimming in the river.

Now, the wedding day had finally arrived. Only their closest friends had come, but that turned out to be more people than they'd expected. The entire population of the Aoiya had turned up from Kyoto as well as Sae of the Shirobeko. Tae and Tsubame had taken the day off just for the wedding. Megumi made an appearance, straight from Aizu. Dr. Gensai and the girls had appeared. At one point, Kenshin could have sworn he saw the golden eyes of Saitou, but they disappeared the moment he focused on them. Sano was still conspicuously absent, but Yahiko produced a letter from him. Somehow, the ex-fighter had known they were marrying and had sent his best regards as well as the last of the sake he'd dragged with him when he left. ("Western alcohol's all right, but it's nothing compared to sake.")

The ceremony was simple and beautiful, perfectly suited to the two people being joined. Yahiko could've sworn he'd never seen Kenshin smile so much as when he stood next to Kaoru that day. Kaoru had been wandering around for the past week with stars in her eyes, and now the stars had grown into a shining blue that was all for Kenshin.

At the gate, Youkai sat, watching the ceremony through narrowed eyes. It had been much easier than he'd been expecting to draw the two humans together. Love had already been between them; it had just needed coaxing. His eyes turned to a satisfied gold as a smirk crossed his face. The entire assignment had been much easier than his master had made it out to be.

The cat stood, stretching and arching his back with deliberate movements. He turned to go, but found his way blocked by a lanky human. A cigarette hung out of the man's mouth, adding to what appeared to be a permanent sneer. Instinctively, Youkai's hackles raised and he hissed a warning. This man may've looked human, but everything about him screamed "Wolf!"

"I don't know what you did to those two," growled the man, flicking his cigarette away, "but good work."

With that, he turned away and stalked into evening shadows. Behind him, Youkai heard a cheer. The ceremony was done. Before he could be found, he darted out of the gate and into the streets. It would be a long way back to Kyoto and Hiko-sensei would be most eager to hear the results of his work.

OoOoOoO

Kaoru was sitting in the sunlight, several days after her wedding, darning Kenshin's gi. In her eagerness last night, she'd accidentally torn the fabric. She was still blushing. She looked up in surprise when she heard the gate open and shut.

Yahiko stormed into view. He was covered in dust and grime, and Kaoru could not help but giggle.

"What happened to you?"

"I've been searching every ally in Tokyo trying to find that goddamned beast! He's nowhere!"

"Now Yahiko," said Kenshin as he emerged from the house, "I'm sure he went back to where ever he came from."

"Stupid cat," Yahiko muttered, crossing his arms.

"Come on," said Kaoru. She stood and dusted herself off. "I'll change and then we can practice."

She disappeared into the house as Yahiko made his way to the dojo. Kenshin looked towards the gate, a frown appearing on his face. The cat's disappearance had not been unnoticed by him. Some part of him thought it was probably for the best. The beast had been nothing but trouble since day one. However, he could not help but feel a small twinge of regret. It was because of that cat that he'd finally gathered enough courage to tell Kaoru of his feelings.

Kaoru emerged from inside the house and put her arms around his shoulders. He turned to smile at her and she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Are you helping with Yahiko's training today?"

"I think I will help, Kaoru."

She took hold of his hand and pulled him to the training hall.

OoOoOoO

It was sometime later that night that Kenshin awoke to an empty futon. Frowning, he searched the room for his yukata and rose, determined to find his wife. Stepping out into the hallway, he immediately picked out candlelight in the training hall. Smiling slightly, Kenshin made his way across the grounds.

He slid the shoji silently open, this time completely unashamed to be watching from the shadows. Kaoru was working through a warm-up kata, so she must not have been up for long.

Kenshin smirked as a wicked idea came to him. Carefully, he matched his movements to hers so that her back was always to him. Eventually, he managed to work his way over to the bokken rack. Easily selecting one as he passed by, he crept closer. Kaoru finished her warm-up and paused, catching her breath just a little. Then, she stepped into the first flowing movements of a kata Kenshin recognized as one of the most general but difficult katas in kenjutsu. He raised his eyebrows, impressed that she would attempt it.

He hung back for a moment. Her form was not yet perfect, but every time she misplaced an angle or misstepped, she immediately paused to fix the error. At long last, he decided he'd been a bystander long enough. Easily, he stepped into her next swing and blocked. The shock in Kaoru's eyes was priceless. She jumped away from him, panting slightly

"Kenshin!" she cried, part exclamation, part remonstration. "Don't scare me like that!"

He grinned, even though his own eyes were stern. "Then perhaps you should not leave in the middle of the night without telling me where you're going."

She blushed slightly before mumbling, "I couldn't sleep."

He frowned as he went in for a strike he knew she would see and parry automatically. As they broke apart and he went for another slash, he asked, "Why?"

"I'm not really sure," she said softly, even though she counter-attacked with a wicked double strike.

Kenshin could sense a lie in her words, though not an overt one. She thought she knew, but she wasn't sure. He continued to spar with her until he felt he'd worn her out enough. Then, with practiced ease that Kaoru couldn't even see, he moved inside her guard and twisted his bokken around hers, effectively breaking her grip on the weapon. The moment he was sure she had released it he let his own bokken go, the momentum carrying both weapons to the far wall. He had his arms around her before she knew what had happened.

"You should tell me what's wrong, Kaoru," he murmured against her ear before gently kissing the shell. He had yet to use an endearment with her, knowing she treasured her name on his lips far more than she would care for any flowery word.

She shuddered against him for a moment before sliding her own arms up around his neck. "I didn't want to worry you."

He chuckled slightly before planting another soft kiss just below her ear. "It's my job to worry about you."

She laughed half-heartedly against his shoulder before becoming somber again. "I keep having these dreams where I wake up and you're gone. I search the whole dojo and can't find a trace of you. Then someone, I'm not really sure who, laughs at me and tells me it was all a dream."

His arms tightened around her with each word until she could barely move. He thought she was done when she opened her mouth again and whispered, "I don't want to be alone again."

Kenshin brought a hand up to trace her jawbone and lift her eyes to his. "I will never leave you; even if I should die before you I will stay by your side."

She choked on a sob and shut her eyes to try to stop the tears. Kenshin closed the scant distance between them and kissed her gently in a manner so innocent and chaste that it left her boneless. When he felt her knees give way, he lifted her into his arms.

At long last he broke away. It took Kaoru a moment to comprehend that they were in her room. He laid her on the futon almost reverently before settling next to her. His arms again slipped around her and pulled her close.

"Kenshin?"

"Mmmm?"

"I love you."

He kissed her forehead before answering, "I love you, too."

He'd nearly slipped off to sleep when she spoke again.

"Kenshin?"

"Mmmm?"

"We're finishing that match tomorrow whether you like it or not."

He could not withhold a chuckle before he kissed her again, this time on the lips. When he pulled back, she caught a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Why don't we just finish it now?"

Sleeping quickly became the last thing on either of their minds.

Japanese glossary:

hentai: pervert

youkai: demon

kata: traditional martial arts exercise

batou-jutsu: the art of deadly blade-drawing. Kenshin's nickname Battousai is derived from his mastery of this art.

sakabatou: reverse-blade sword

yukata: light kimono often used for sleeping in

hakama: loose traditional pants than can either be a skirt or a split pant

gi: shortened kimono and what Kenshin normally wears

bokken: wooden sword

kenjutsu: the art of sword play in general, specifically Japanese (I just made an oxymoron!)

A/N: Yes, that's the end of this chapter. And now you are all screaming at me because I denied you any actual lemon.

Kenshin: _mumbling_ They're not the only ones complaining.

Authoress: _smacks Kenshin on back of head_ You're married to her moron. Believe me, you slept with her. Besides that, if I get enough cries of "lemon, damn you!" I might post one elsewhere, but as is, I'm not bringing the administrators down upon my head if I can help it. smiles evilly Now, about that date.

Kenshin: _backing away slowly_ You just said it yourself. I'm a happily married man.

Authoress: That can always change…_gulp_ What about your no-killing vow, Kenshin? Kenshin?

Kenshin: There are always exceptions to the rule.

Authoress: _shouting over her shoulder as she runs for the hills_ That's all for now folks! But I'll have another chapter and a one-shot out real soon, in which Kenshin will be further tortured!

Kenshin: You can't type a one-shot if you have no fingers!

Authoress: Oh but Kenshin, it's already typed.

Kenshin: Noooooo!

Reviewer Responses: Gasp! I got seven new reviews this chapter! I love you all. Seriously. I'm not kidding. People praising me inflate my ego.

lolo popoki: I know you've reviewed on some other stories I've read…I recognize your name. This makes me happy. A person I've heard of reviewed my story. Anyway, I hope this chapter addresses the motivation issue. Unless…I hope you know who Hiko is. Arggh! Now I've gone and made myself nervous.

Triste1: Personally, I don't like split personality Kenshin either, but when I write, he just seems to turn out that way. Two stories I'd recommend that portray Kenshin as someone with one, single personality are "Hakama Dake" (which is rather steamy) and "Frozen Moonlight", though that's an AU. Also, grammatical errors? Ahhhh! I shall smite thee evil grammatical errors! As you can see, I also dislike bad grammar. Now I'll have to go and edit again. Mou!

Stella-neko: Glad to know you approve of my…descriptiveness. That sounded so much better in my head. I'm glad to know you're liking it (which sounds a lot better.) Thank you, thank you, thank you for pointing out grammatical errors. I must now go smite them with my mighty delete key. As you can see, I'm a grammar freak. Please alert me to any other errors you notice.

Kristy-chan: I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it.

Myks: Laugh away. And hope you know have a better understanding of what I have going around in my head around that cat.

are-en1: Glad to know you're enjoying it so much, especially if you don't normally read stories like this. And you added me to your favorites! Thank you! Gracias! Arigato! Thank you in other various foreign languages! I hope this chapter pleases you.

Leighbriel-Misokita: Man do I hope I spelled your name right. Don't fall off the edge of your seat! I've updated. Of course, I didn't leave you with a cliffie this time…I think. Such high compliments. If you're not careful, my head will get too big to fit through the door.


	4. Part IV

**The Catalyst: Part IV**

By Jade LightningWolf

Disclaimer: Please don't make me say it again…Oh fine. Kenshin is not mine, even though I've been trying to find a good lawyer to fix that. Also, please note that the chapter is rated PG-13 (T), though I really don't think there's much innuendo in it. Ah well, take precautions before the storm hits, not after. Man, am I nervous about this chapter. I almost didn't post it.

oOo

They'd been married for two and a half months when Kenshin got the letter. The bite of autumn hovered in the air, bringing a chill at night that made Kenshin grateful that he was no longer sleeping alone. On the day the letter arrived, clouds the color of dull steel pressed down from the sky and autumn leaves swept past in a howling wind.

He'd been sweeping the front porch when a knock sounded on the door. With some confusion, he'd answered. A messenger stood on the other side proffering a letter and standing in a manner that clearly suggested he felt he deserved a tip. Kenshin withheld a sigh and fished a few spare coins from his gi sleeve. The messenger grinned, bowed, and took off running, most likely to the nearest gambling house.

Turning his attention to the letter, Kenshin nearly dropped the piece of paper. The broad strong strokes were ones he knew very well.

"Something wrong, Kenshin?"

He forced himself not to jump at the sound of Kaoru's voice. Slowly he turned, carefully hiding his emotions as he went. He saw her disappointment when he did, but he would make it up to her later. For now, his old rurouni mask was needed.

"Not at all, Kaoru-d…" He stuttered noticeably on the end of her name. He had taken back to the old character of a wanderer so quickly that he'd nearly added an honorific. Her face immediately grew sour.

"Fine! Don't tell me." She turned on her heel and swept into the dojo. Kenshin winced. He'd just messed up. He had more than messed up. It would take more than a kiss and apology to come back from that slip. But first, he just had to know what his shishou had to say.

oOoOoOoOo

Kenshin slipped into his old room and settled against the wall, staring at the letter in his hand. He could not fathom why his shishou would choose now to correspond, when the man had said just about everything there was to say back in Kyoto.

Almost fearfully, Kenshin slid the envelope open.

_Baka-deshi,_

_So you finally got married again, did you? And you didn't invite your old shishou? I'm hurt, Kenshin. Really, I am. If it weren't for my old friend, I would have never even known you'd stopped pussy-footing around with that girl and just gotten down to it!_

_In fact, you should be thanking me. If it weren't for this old friend of mine, you would've never gotten the guts to pop the question. He certainly did wreak havoc in your humble abode. I thought I'd taught you better than that, but it seems that even a simple cat can outwit you. Perhaps next time, you won't be outsmarted by your old shishou._

_Better luck next time baka,_

_Hiko Seijiro_

Kenshin did not think he'd ever truly felt the sensation of his jaw dropping until he finished the letter. Did it really mean what he thought it meant? Had his master really been the driving force behind a cat that was entirely too mischievous for its own good? There was only one way to find out.

oOoOoOoOo

"Kaoru?" Kenshin's quiet voice was even more hushed than usual. She refused to acknowledge him, instead choosing to further butcher the cabbage she'd been chopping for supper.

"Kaoru, please don't be angry with me. I…didn't…"

She rounded on him so quickly that her movement created a breeze in the already drafty house.

"You didn't mean to? You didn't deliberately hide something from me? You didn't almost call me 'Kaoru-dono'?" She whirled again, taking her rage out on an unfortunate carrot.

He moved behind her before she could push him away and wrapped his arms around her waist. She froze at his touch. Oh so slowly, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to the nape of her neck.

"No, Kaoru. I did do those things. I'm sorry I did them, but I wasn't sure what to tell you."

He paused to see if she would say anything. She stood stiffly in his embrace. Kenshin inhaled deeply and continued. "How would you like to winter in Kyoto?"

She remained frozen in his arms. He knew the moment his words gained purchase in her brain as she squeaked, "WHAT?"

"My shishou has written me and what he says is…troubling. I wish to ask him about it."

Kaoru took a few shuddering breaths in his arms before turning to face him. "Troubling how?"

He sensed her apprehension immediately. "It has nothing to do with fighting. It is actually about…Youkai."

She frowned. "That stupid cat Yahiko had for a while?"

Kenshin nodded. "My master has some information about him that I would…like to hear first hand."

Kaoru thought for a moment before looking up at him. "The whole winter?"

"Only if you're willing. However, I fear that is how long it will take to pry the information from Hiko."

Kaoru shook her head, muttering something about stubborn men. "We can leave in two days time," she said after a moment.

He smiled before kissing her softly. She blushed faintly before looking away, the smile slowly leaving her face.

"My cycle came again," she whispered. Kenshin fought to keep the disappointment from his face as she told him the information. He'd already known it was coming. He could feel the change in her ki. He was fairly sure he'd know when she became pregnant also.

"It's alright, Kaoru," he said, gathering her closer in his arms. "We have the rest of our lives, remember?"

She smiled a little, but her demeanor remained saddened. He thought hard, trying to think of a way to lift her spirits. "Come. We haven't visited Yahiko in quite some time. I believe he recently started courting Tsubame. Watching the cranes dance for a while will be perfect for a day like today, don't you think?"

She did laugh then, if only because the picture of Yahiko as a crane was entirely too amusing to do anything but laugh at. "Alright," she said after a moment, "let's go."

oOoOoOoOo

Two days later, they took a train to Kyoto, a city Kenshin had been dearly hoping he'd never have to visit again. Misao was there to greet them, though they hadn't sent notice ahead that they were coming. The teenager bubbled and danced around the couple as they made their way to the Aoiya. Never did she stop speaking, and it seemed as though she never took a breath either.

Kenshin felt a flash of ki ahead and looked up. Aoshi stood in front of the inn, waiting for them. It looked as though the former okashira had perhaps lightened his icy demeanor, if only a little. There was life in his eyes that hadn't been present at the wedding.

"I trust you'll explain why you're here in due time," he said demurely as they came within hearing range. "But I'm sure you're tired. Misao, please take them to the room we cleaned up."

"Just when did you know we were coming?" asked Kaoru as they passed him.

"Sometime yesterday," Misao said nonchalantly before inquiring if Sano had written again. She didn't wait for an answer and plowed onto another subject with ease. Out of the corner of his eye, Kenshin could have sworn he saw the barest hint of a smile on Aoshi's face.

In their room, safely cut off from the tsunami that was Misao, Kenshin turned to Kaoru. She was looking around the room, studying décor that pointed towards a set of monetary funds that made her own meager savings look like pocket change. He touched her shoulder to get her attention.

"Do you mind if I go to start wheedling information from my shishou, or would you prefer I wait until tomorrow?"

She smiled slightly, knowing he was still making up for his slip up two days ago. "I don't mind. It's best we start wearing down his stubbornness now. He can be just as bad as you sometimes!"

"Oro!" Kenshin yelped.

"Don't deny it. You hide it well, but you're as stubborn as a rock in the sea."

He blushed slightly, knowing she spoke the truth. Quickly, he changed the subject. "Is there anything you need while I'm out?" His eyes ventured unbidden to her patched, faded kimono. She caught his glance and gave him a hard shove in the shoulder.

"If there's anyone who needs new clothes, it's you!" she said, pointing at his threadbare and heavily repaired gi.

The blush deepened on his cheeks, and he turned to leave, saving himself from further ridicule by his wife.

"Kenshin," she said to his back. He paused, waiting. When she saw he wouldn't turn, she circled him. His eyes followed her warily.

A grin spread on Kaoru's face as she realized he was afraid she was angry with him. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him so close she could feel his breath ghosting across her cheeks.

"I'm not angry with you anymore, baka. Stop walking on eggshells around me, or I really will get angry." To further her point, she closed the distance between them and kissed him. He readily took up her invitation, easily dominating the kiss she'd begun.

When they broke away, panting slightly, he said softly, "I'll keep that in mind."

For a moment, they stood still, but then Kenshin released her and turned to leave. Kaoru withheld the sigh until after he'd slid the shoji shut. Two years of friendship and two and a half months of marriage and that man still did not know her limits. He would have to do a great deal more than hide a letter from her to make her truly angry. With another sigh, Kaoru slipped out of the room to find Misao. A good dose of gossip was just what the doctor ordered.

oOoOoOoOo

Kenshin found his way to his shishou's house easily. He'd traversed the path far more times than he would have liked. Though he moved silently, his master was already out on the front step with a sake carafe and two small saucers. Kenshin stopped for a moment, staring at the arrangement before shaking his head and smiling slightly. Some things never changed.

"I was expecting you about a month ago," Hiko said as Kenshin sat next to him on the step. The smaller man took the offered sake without question.

"I only got your letter three days ago," he said after a sip.

"Really? It seems I'll have to use a different messenger service."

They sat in silence for long moments. Kenshin was the first to speak again.

"I have questions."

"Don't we all?"

Kenshin looked at his master oddly. The man's usual arrogance seemed lacking. Hiko continued after a pause to pour more sake for himself. "I'll answer what I can. After all, I did screw with your life a little."

Kenshin snorted. That might be the biggest understatement to ever be heard in the Meiji era.

"Perhaps it would be better if you just told me the whole story and I ask questions afterward."

Hiko raised a quizzical eyebrow as he glanced sideways at his former pupil. "You've gotten less impulsive."

Kenshin bit down on his retort. He was beyond falling for his master's baits now, well placed though they may be. Hiko resumed speaking when he realized Kenshin was not going to say anything.

"I must say, you guessed well in naming him Youkai. It's very fitting. He's a shape shifter, a kitsune to be exact. I came across him injured and caught in a snare. When I freed him, he showed himself for what he really was. We've been friends for several years now.

"When I told him of your plight, he said he would be more than willing to help. 'Reminded him of old times' he said. I told him to approach you in a seemingly harmless shape, and then left him to his own twisted scheming to get you two together. I'm sure he studied you for a while. That whole reflecting-inner-desires kind of thing he pulled was genius. I can't believe he was so stupid around you, though. I warned him how dangerous you could be when you weren't thinking straight."

Kenshin was hard-pressed to express his disbelief, especially when Hiko had explained the whole ordeal in such a matter-of-fact manner. After several attempts at speech, the redhead's vocal chords finally began working again. "Why did you bother in the first place?"

Hiko took a long draft of sake before answering. "It was completely obvious to me that you would never go after that girl without a good push. You were so set on believing you weren't worthy that you forgot the cardinal rule when it comes to women: you're never worthy. Even if you were a saint, Kenshin, you still wouldn't be worthy of that girl. It's the way the world works.

"But for some reason or another, she's in love with you, and I wasn't about to let you go and break that girl's heart. Or yours for that matter."

Kenshin was saved from having to answer as a bush across from the house rustled and a new ki registered in his senses. He frowned. The ki felt alien, something he'd never encountered before, yet it was familiar.

"Ah, the kitsune has arrived. He wanted to apologize."

Kenshin resisted the urge to grip the hilt of his sakabatou as a slight, red-haired youth stepped out from behind the foliage. The young man was tall and thin, still having the appearance of one who hasn't quite grown into his limbs. He wore a forest green hakama and a yellow gi that was covered with a surprisingly garish pattern. The long red hair was several shades darker than Kenshin's and about twice as unruly. Ears that seemed slightly longer than normal poked from the sides of his head and mischievous green eyes sparkled in the late evening sunlight.

Kenshin frowned at the boy. He looked normal enough, but something seemed off about him. Perhaps it was the sharp angles of his cheekbones, the odd size of his ears, or the strange slant of his eyes, but the boy seemed otherworldly. The air seemed different around him, as though his own aura was reaching out and bending it. Hiko _had_ said he was a shape shifter.

"Hello, Kenshin," he said in a light tenor voice that reflected what seemed to be perpetual amusement.

Kenshin only remembered his manners when Hiko elbowed him in the stomach. The short man stood and bowed warily as he said, "Hello."

"I am sorry I had to rough you up so much," he said as he exhibited razor sharp claws at the ends of his fingers, "but you're so damn stubborn. I couldn't think of anything else to do to get you where I needed you to be. I hope you'll forgive me."

Kenshin, unsure of what to say, remained silent. The kitsune continued after a moment.

"But it all worked out in the end, ne? You ended up with Kaoru, and I got to amuse myself by aiding in matchmaking again. I haven't been able to do that since Sengoku Jidai."

Kenshin's eyes widened, but that was the only expression of his surprise. After a moment, he said, "All is forgiven. After all, as you said, it did work out for the best."

The kitsune smiled. "Then I'll be going." He moved to leave, but turned back at the last moment. His arm moved and glass flashed in the air. Kenshin caught the bottle without even realizing what it was. The kitsune was grinning mischievously now. "You might want that, too. It will only work if there's already affection between the individuals in question. You could have a blast using it on that Sanosuke of yours. Just remember to only use one or two drops at a time. Too much can really drive a guy crazy. Trust first-hand experience."

The kitsune disappeared back into the brush, this time moving more noiselessly. Kenshin stared after him for a moment before looking at the bottle in hand. A blush crept up his neck as he saw the character stamped in the glass was "lust." Something about the bottle tickled at his memory, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Hiko cleared his throat loudly, reminding Kenshin that he was not alone. Slowly, the redhead turned towards his former master.

"That was all you came for right?"

Slowly, Kenshin nodded.

"Good. Get lost." Without another word, Hiko turned imperiously and stalked into his house. Kenshin stood staring dumbly at the door. It took him several long moments before he could form a coherent thought. The first thought happened to be, _There's another ki in Hiko's house. A female ki._ That thought quickly took Kenshin places he didn't want to go. Demons and potions and Hiko with a lover? What was the world coming to? No wonder his shishou had been to straight and to-the-point.

Carefully, as thought one wrong move would make his grasp on reality slip entirely, Kenshin turned and started back down the path. He pinched his arms several times as he walked, praying desperately that he was asleep. Every time, sharp pain informed him that he was already in the waking world. Unfortunately, that meant he had really just experienced everything back at Hiko's cabin. Kenshin shook his head harshly. _I'm going to need more sake_, he thought as he trudged towards the distant outline of Kyoto.

oOoOoOoOo

Several hours later, Kenshin returned to the Aoiya. He'd given himself time to sober up and had also purchased new clothing for both himself and Kaoru. Aoshi was waiting for him at the entrance. Kenshin paused and looked the former okashira up and down, evaluating just how much he should divulge of his visit with Hiko.

After a moment, Aoshi said, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"You could say that."

Piercing blue eyes searched Kenshin's face. Aoshi's natural curiosity had been poked from slumber and was begging for answers. It was obvious that the rurouni planned on giving none. After a long pause, Aoshi said, "Go find some mint leaves in the kitchen. Kaoru will kill you if you walk in with sake on your breath."

Kenshin managed to hold off a blush and nodded. He felt Aoshi's eyes on him, even after he'd turned into the kitchen. When he'd found the mint, he chewed it for several long moments as he tried to gather scattered thoughts. He might be able to hide things from Aoshi, but he certainly wouldn't…couldn't hide them from Kaoru. How did one go about explaining that there had been a matchmaking demon lurking about? Taking a deep breath, Kenshin went to his room.

He was saved from explaining, however, because Kaoru was not there. He found a note pinned to the small writing table explaining that Kaoru and Misao had gone off on there own, most likely to wreak havoc.

Kenshin let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Carefully setting the clothes aside, he tried to center himself, tried to find some semblance of normalcy. It might not be possible without Kaoru to help comfort him. In defeat, he slumped against the wall and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling. It was going to be a long day.

oOoOoOoOo

Kaoru returned with Misao just before sunset. Aoshi informed her that Kenshin had returned a few hours ago and retired to their room. She thanked him and went to find her husband.

She opened the shoji of their room quietly. Kenshin was leaning against one wall. Kaoru moved closer with silent steps as she closed the door behind her. As she'd suspected, he was asleep. Smiling, she turned to look around the room. A bundle of cloth was on the writing table. Upon closer inspection, she found that there were new sets of clothing for both herself and Kenshin.

Carefully, she held the kimono he had chosen for her up to the light. It was a deep burgundy, lined for winter. In delicate patterns, cranes danced around the hem. A few lotus blossoms crawled up one side of the cloth. Her fingers traced the beautiful patterns lovingly. The heavy silk obi was of a deep gold that would match the burgundy very well.

"Do you like it?"

Kenshin's voice startled her and she jumped slightly. Turning, Kaoru saw that he had opened his eyes and was watching her from under his bangs.

"It's beautiful Kenshin."

He smiled slightly. She folded the cloth and set it aside. "How did coaxing Hiko go?" she asked after a moment. Kenshin frowned and she went to him.

"I suppose it depends on your point of view," he said hesitantly.

She touched his shoulder, worried at the tone in his voice.

"He told me everything he knew about Youkai. It was…disturbing."

She knelt beside him and leaned into his shoulder. He put his arm around her without thinking.

"Disturbing how?"

"You wouldn't believe me."

Kaoru's face grew stubborn. "Try me," she said, jabbing him slightly with one arm.

Kenshin took a deep breath and told her everything. He never stopped speaking, afraid that if he did, he would have to bang his head to the wall just to make sure he was really awake.

When he was finished, Kaoru sat staring at him just as slack-jawed as he'd been when Hiko told him the unlikely story. Kenshin could not look her in the face, fearful that he would be slapped. The last thing he expected was for Kaoru to laugh.

She started with a bubbling giggle that turned into a chuckle which slowly became full-blown laughter. Kenshin stared at her, stunned and uncomprehending. By the time she'd gotten herself under control, there were tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I fail to see what is so funny," Kenshin said, sounding rather put off.

She chuckled again, but reined in her mirth. "In a conversation once, Megumi told me that it would take superhuman forces to get you to court me. If find it amusing that she was right."

Kenshin still didn't find it amusing. Kaoru smiled at his disgruntled look and put her arms around him.

"What's got you so sour?"

"He could have hurt you. He could have been something with evil intent, and I would have never realized until it was too late."

Kaoru frowned slightly. It would be nice if just once, Kenshin wouldn't allow himself a guilt trip. She loosened her hold slightly so she could look up into his face.

"Kenshin, he didn't hurt me. And now you know what kind of ki a demon has, so you'll be able to sense it. Don't dwell on things you can't change."

Kenshin looked at his wife with disapproval. "But…"

Kaoru released a sigh of exasperation and cut off his argument with a kiss. He stayed unmoving for a moment before responding. Just as he might have deepened the kiss, she pulled away. Hugging him again, she placed her lips near his ear.

"Kenshin," she whispered huskily, reveling in the way he shuddered almost imperceptibly beneath her, "just this once, just for me…"

Kenshin was hanging on her words, more than willing to do whatever she asked.

"…shut up and live with it. And kiss me."

So just that once, Kenshin shut up and kissed her.

oOoOoOoOo

Two days later, they left Kyoto on a train. In Tokyo, they found it had already snowed. The white covered landscape was quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. However, they found their house was not. Kenshin sensed a familiar ki before they'd even unlocked the gate. He gritted his teeth and turned to Kaoru.

"Guess who's back?"

She frowned, slightly mystified by the question. She never got a chance to answer though. The gate was thrown open and a voice shouted, "'Bout time you guys got back! I'm starving!"

Kaoru stared wide-eyed for a moment at Sanosuke Sagara, still dressed in the same white outfit as always, but with a russet brown cloak draped roguishly over his shoulders. Then she regained her composure.

"What the hell are you doing in my house?"

Sano had the intelligence to look slightly penitent as she began to rant at him. For several long minutes, they stood in the cold as Kaoru vented about everything from stupidly running off to freeloading to idiot men who thought they always had the right of it. When her face had turned a fine shade of maroon and she had stopped her tirade to gasp for breath, Kenshin gently touched her back trying to urge her out of the cold. He still hadn't told her that her ki had changed yet. She was stressed enough without worrying about a baby.

Kaoru rounded on him so quickly that he fell backward into the snow. "And you! You just sit there quietly and let him take advantage of our hospitality! MEN!" Kaoru stomped indoor without waiting for Kenshin to rise or attempt to apologize.

The short, redhead watched her for a moment before turning to Sano.

"Mongolia, eh?" he said almost casually.

"Yeah. It was too hot though."

Kenshin nodded sagely and glanced back towards the house. Then he took a step closer to Sano. Suddenly, he seemed much more menacing.

"You had better be glad that I am a patient man and that you are a good friend, or I'd punch you so hard you'd wake up back in Mongolia. Don't mess with my wife."

Sano stepped warily back from the golden eyes and held up his hands placatingly.

"I won't do anything to aggravate her. Promise."

Kenshin pinned him under the glare for a moment longer before turning and walking into the house. Sano watched after him a moment before following. He could not see the evil smile that played on the redheads lips, nor the way he was carefully fingering a small glass bottle.

oOoOoOoOo

Japanese glossary:

shisou: master

baka-deshi: idiot pupil (baka by itself is just idiot)

youkai: demon

Sengoku Jidai: Warring States Era, 1467-1582

kitsune: fox, or fox demon (they also Megumi kitsune)

ne: used kind of like we use 'right' at the end of a sentence to make it a question. Example: They'll be fine, ne? --> They'll be fine, right?

A/N: Well, that's the end. And I don't want to hear one complaint out of any of you. I never intended for this to be a long story. In fact, I had originally planned for it to be a one-shot, but it just kind of grew…and grew. You all, however, may yell at me for this being late. I always hate it when authors say they were too busy to post, so of course that's what I'm telling you all. In seriousness though, I had a play to act in for the past week and marching competitions on the weekend and I've been sick. Between school and all the rest, I hope you can excuse the lateness. Once again, thanks for all the support from my wonderful seven reviewers, and I hopefully will have that one-shot I promised up by next week. On a last note, I know this doesn't follow up with Sakura Blossoms, but I wanted to get Sano in there. Complain if you don't like it. And on a final last note (I promise this time) I'll give a special shout out in the one-shot to the first person who guesses what character I borrowed to act as Youkai. I think I made it pretty easy to guess, but who knows?

Reviewer Responses:

are-en1: I know Part III really sounded like I'd ended it. In fact, for a long time I didn't plan on putting up this chapter. But then, I wanted to tell you all what/who Youkai was, just as you said. I hope you like the ending to this one as much as the last one. Thanks so much for reviewing.

Jool(): Mou! I was afraid of this. You all thought the last chapter was the ending. Maybe I'll just strip this one down if no one likes it and let the story end at Part III. But I really wanted to explain who Youkai was. Many thanks for your review.

Myks: Thank you so much. Glad you like how I write, since my style is always what I'm most worried about. Why should one worry about something silly like a plot line? No, I'm kidding. Sort of.

gabyhyatt: Thanks for your review.

Stella-neko: Yes, as you can see, this was the last chapter. However, I'll see what I can do about posting a lemon elsewhere. And no grammar mistakes? _jumps up and down in sheer joy_ My life is complete! As always, thanks for reviewing.

lolo popoki: In retrospect, I realized Part III was really WAFF-ly, but since people seemed to have liked it, I'm glad I made it that way. I'm also glad you like the Hiko conspiracy. I don't think I honestly did him justice in this chapter, but I hope he's at least partially up to your standards. As for Youkai, hopefully all has been explained. Many thanks for your kind words.

Triste1: Thank you so much for the longest review I have received to date. I love it when other people care about grammar. It makes me so happy. It also makes me a dork. Oh well. I don't think this chapter is up to my grammatical standards, but it was edited whilst under the influence of pneumonia and insomnia, so I'll probably go back and edit again when I'm healthy. I guess Youkai is a bit of a stray, isn't he? That hadn't honestly occurred to me, but I suppose that's just the way I picture Hiko at heart. As it says in "Oni" (which I also read avidly), he's just a big softy. And to the rest of your review I say: Woo hoo! At least I've made an impact on one person with what I considered to be one of the most important parts of the chapter. As for a lemon, we'll have to see. I recently got struck with Halloween plot bunnies, and they're threatening to make my head explode if I don't let them out.


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